Out of the Shadows
by AGL03
Summary: Garrett has uncovered one of Fury's long buried secrets from the depths of the Fridge, a secret that will drastically change Coulson's life in a way he never saw coming. Now faced with Wards betrayal he faces a desperate fight to save his young Scientists, one of whom is the child he never knew he had. Contains Fitzsimmons and Philinda if you squint just right.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello! Very old author who has recently found my muse again with a new fandom. This little idea wormed its way into my head and I just had to get it out. I hope you all enjoy it! Definitely AU picks up not long after 1x17/1x18

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

 _Theo Tittle…._

Garrett sat in a secluded corner of the jet, his men excitedly chattering around him as they continued to go through the spoils from the Fridge. More than once he had to caution them about playing with their new toys on a jet that was 30,000 feet in the air, Ward having to take the 084 he had found in Peru from a rather inept agent who was aiming it at all the wrong places.

And while the weapons and prisoners escaping had been a nice bonus of storming the secure facility, he had one of the biggest prizes in his hands, countless files pertaining to the few agents high enough still affiliated in Shield to pose a threat to Hydra. Fury's paranoia keeping these out the wrong hands meant they only existed in hard copy, secured deep within the facility that had just raided. In his time as the Clairvoyant he had learned that the right information in the wrong hands could do more damage and provide more leverage than any weapon ever could.

 _Theo Tittle…._

Satisfied no one was going to blow a hole in the plane for now he went back to his reading, what he was calling "Phil Coulson, The Early Years". Fury's favorite protégé topping the list of threats, holding all the information and _assets_ he needed on the GH-325 as well as some of Fury's most closely guarded secrets. And right now he was regretting not killing him outright when he'd had the chance…multiple chances in fact. He had set tall, dark, and creepy on the Cellist, knowing it would draw Coulson out and force his attention away from Hydra's take over, if even if it was for a little bit.

Reading he found Phil's career differed so much from his own, distinguished from the beginning his cool head and ability to easily fit into any situation earning him a reputation even fresh out of the Academy. He didn't need to embellish or boast like Garrett did to get and keep attention. Everyone who worked with him just loved him from foot troops to the damn Avengers.

 _Theo Tittle…._

"Damn it" he mutter to himself as that name popped into his head, as if his subconscious was screaming at him. Continuing on, his eyebrows raising. 27 Years ago Coulson had been on a long undercover mission in Scotland trying to root out a group of mercenaries who had been running weapons to a cell in New York. His alias had been Theo Tittle. There it was again, the name that had been nagging at him for what seemed like months now. Coulson's had used the alias a number of times over the years but he knew he'd read it somewhere else. Growling he set the file aside he pulled up the tablet that held all of his more recent Shield secrets, and did a simple search for the name. What came back caused him to blink, the air suddenly rushing out of his lungs. "WARD!" he shouted causing everyone in the cabin to jump and his protégé to nearly fall out of the seat he had been dozing in.

Ward had his gun out even before he was fully awake worried eyes looking to Garrett fearing an attack or another episode. He wasn't expecting a tablet to be shoved in his face, John bearing down on him like a hungry animal "Did you know!?" He demanded.

Unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice he put his gun down and shoved the tablet away, unable to read it right against his face "Know what?"

"The Engineer, Agent Fitz" Garrett said excitedly like he was a cat who had caught a canary "What did he tell you about his family?"

Now Ward was completely confused, Fitz's family, what the hell did that have to do with anything? "Not much, he didn't really talk about them and seeing as how my family isn't something to boast about I never really pried. I know he was raised by his mother, the father either ran out of them or was never in the picture. That genius brain of his got him all sorts of scholarships at a young age before eventually getting Shields attention. You want to tell me what is going on, why the sudden interest in the Kid?" Grant knew the interest and it wasn't sudden. Fitz was brilliant and in the short time he had known him come up with incredible creations. Garrett seeing them first hand when they had gone to the Guest House to get the serum for Skye. His mind unwillingly turning to after the fall of the Hub, before leaving to escort Garrett to the Fridge he had stumbled upon Fitzsimmons, huddled together in an abandoned lounge. Both appeared to be crying "He was going to take you…shoot you…torture you…and it would have been all my fault…" she murmured as Fitz rubbed her back muttering words of comfort Ward couldn't hear.

They were both incredibly valuable assets, the top of the wish list for years as they began to rise through the Academy. That wasn't why Garrett wanted them, he needed them, especially Fitz to come up with new components for the tech that was keeping him alive. And with Fitz doing it the upgrades he could be made to be more deadly than Mike Peterson. Simmons on the other hand had made more headway on the GH-325 than any of Hydra's scientist and that was only with her working on it in her free time.

Garrett gave him a knowing look "You know very well Fitz is a Specialists version of Santa Claus, the toys he has come up with …can you imagine what he could do with the proper motivation". Ward had to suppress a shutter, yes he could imagine what he could create, what he would do to protect someone he cared for. Finally getting to the point Garrett shoved the tablet at him again, finger pointing to Fitz's fathers name in his Bio. "Theo Tittle? Never heard of him…"

Now John laughed, almost skipping back to his seat and pulling up one of the files he had been reading. Ward read the page, feeling his jaw literally fall open "There is no way….Coulson would have never hidden that, not from him, not after everything we've been through" He said shaking his head doing the math in his head the dates lining up from Coulson's time in Scotland "…Honestly no way….there was never even a whiff…." Theo…Leo the mother had paid homage to the father in the name.

"Fury could have Tahiti'd it out of him or even better he never knew! Now that sounds more like Fury" Garrett said gleefully "A simple DNA test is all we'd need to confirm. We have him Grant! We finally have a way to take the indestructible Phil Coulson down! Saddle up you're going back in and we have a family reunion to prepare for."

Ward began to feel sick, his stomach twisting painfully, and he wasn't quite sure why.

To Be Continued….

A/N: Thanks for reading, hope you are all intrigued. Favs, follows, and reviews are always welcome!


	2. A Wolf in the Flock

AN: Thank you for the reviews, favs, and follows, I love them! Don't get used to such quick updates but I am super excited for this chapter and for things to really get going. I always love to hear what you guys want to see happen too. In the meantime…enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Leo Fitz shot up with a gasp, his body covered in a cold sweat and his breaths coming in ragged pants as he desperately tried to get his bearings. Strong, yet gentle hands were wrapped around him almost instantly, the comforting scent of tea and lavender putting his frantic mind at least. "It's okay your safe" Jemma soothed, tightening her grip "We're safe, he's not here".

Safe? Safe. He was safe, not back in the control room of the Hub, not about to be shot and captured by John Garrett, not about to watch his friends mercilessly gunned down, and Jemma was safe here at his side.

It took a few minutes but slowly his breathing evened out and he returned the hug "I'm sorry to wake you" he said sadly "This is the third night in a row…you know you could get your own bunk…" she shushed him immediately. Though there were plenty of empty bunks in Providence the pair had chosen to stay together from day one, not even Skye questioning them that first night when they had entered the same compartment. Since the Hub, Shield's fall, and Garrett's betrayal they had both been plagued by nightmares and needed each other now more than ever, clinging to what was the greatest constants in their lives, each other.

"I am not going anywhere" she said firmly a slight waiver in her voice. Her own nightmare had just been starting when Fitz had startled her out of it. Fitz sighed absently kissing the top of her head "You too?" he said rubbing her back comfortingly and she nodded, a couple of tears leaking out. "It'll be okay" He soothed "Ward will be back soon, Garrett is locked away, and Coulson will find even more allies. I overheard him and Agent May talking about looking for the Iliad next, that he knew of some good people on there that could help". She nodded against his chest composing herself. Sitting in a comfortable silence with each other until they both drifted off to sleep.

They were awoken hours later by an announcement over the PA "Up and at em everyone" Koeing's cheery voice echoed "Agent Ward has returned…I imagine you would like to see him".

Both scientists groaned, unwilling to move from the comforting embrace, a metal door slamming next to their followed by frantic steps running down the hall announced Skye didn't feel the same way. The hacker had been beside herself since hearing the Fridge had fallen. The two could hardly blame her, Fitz was willing to run headlong into the lion's den knowing Jemma was in the Hub while it was under attack.

"We'd better go" Jemma said sitting up reluctantly "He may need medical attention". Fitz followed suite pulling out a fresh set of clothes, letting her have the bathroom first "May need medical attention?" he queried "And I may want a monkey, you're going to be lucky if you're not digging bullets out of him all afternoon".

She emerged quickly pulling her hair back into a ponytail and letting him in before finding her shoes. She couldn't disagree, they had been keeping communication to a minimum and had no idea what their comrade had been through in his journey back to them.

Fitz emerged just ask quickly as her, opening the door just as Tripp was walking by, his face tight and tense, though it warmed up when he saw the pair. "Morning" he said his voice tight.

"Everything okay?" Simmons asked resisting the urge to take Fitz's hand in her own.

He nodded "Yeah, just a little on edge" he said finally flashing a smile. Tripp was the new guy in town so to speak and chose not to voice his concerns to them, something about Agent Ward just not sitting right. "I'm sure you'll feel better once you have your own Specialist back". The pair glanced at each other but didn't saying anything, feeling there was more behind the words.

They entered the medical bay finding May, Skye, and Coulson had all beat them there, Skye already tugging at Wards shirt trying to get a look at his bruised chest. "Told you" Fitz said offering Ward a smile but staying back to allow Simmons to work. She gently moved Skye out of the way and began examining the wounds.

"What happened?" Coulson asked now that they had all arrived "Is Garrett secure?" Everyone knew Coulson was holding back, having a million questions he needed answered but not wanting to pressure Ward, especially when he looked like he'd gone through a meat grinder.

Ward sighed heavily, wincing as Simmons disinfected one of the cuts on his face, one caused by Garrett's ring so it was particularly deep. His eyes lingered on Fitz and Coulson longer than the others before he spoke. "When we approached the Fridge, Hydra had already attacked…there was nothing we could have done, they had us outgunned three to one, and the prisoners were escaping. Agent Hand had no choice but to turn back before they noticed us…but it's safe to say that they got their hands on some pretty nasty firepower and nearly every psycho we know is on the loose again".

No one questioned him so he continued with the carefully constructed story that would allow him to get what Garrett needed. "Agent Hand made some calls, found someplace that hadn't been compromised….Sorry Sir she wouldn't even give me the name as it's off the books, but we took Garrett there put him in a lovely cell where he wouldn't see the light of day ever again, and took off".

He heard a collective sigh of relief when he said Garrett was locked up. "Things went south when we stopped to refuel….we thought it was safe….but Hydra got there first and were waiting….Hand the others…..were killed. I blew the plane to make sure they couldn't use the GPS to find where we had taken Garrett and made my way here".

The group sat in silence, Simmons still working diligently, May and Coulson sharing a brief look.

"Garrett is locked up and your safe" Coulson said "We'll take whatever victories we can get right now". Everyone nodded in agreement looking to their leader for guidance.

"What now?" Tripp asked voicing what everyone was thinking. Coulson seemed to take a few moments to think before speaking. "It's time to start fighting back" he said firmly "Skye, I need to see if you can track down a few of those escaped prisoners, especially a Marcus Daniels….I know it's meant as a distraction but there are a few we just can't let attack. Also scan any channel you can think of….especially old ones to see if you can find what Hydra's using to communicate. May see who you can find level 7 and up that's still on our side….perhaps Hill if the government hasn't locked her in a hole already. Tripp, assess the current weapons inventory, I need to know what we have to work with until we can get our hands on more, and if you have any contacts you feel are safe…now is the time to use them. Fitz I want as many tracker rounds as you can muster. Anyone from Hydra we run across I want to tag, follow them back to their bases, and find where they are hiding. Simmons patch up Ward and then help Fitz."

Everyone nodded dispersing without so much as another word "And me sir?" Ward asked as Coulson headed for the door.

"Get some rest then see Agent Koeing…he'll want you to get your lanyard, the tests should only take an hour or so at most". Coulson said.

"Tests?" Ward snapped quickly.

Simmons smiled reassuringly as Coulson left "Nothing to worry about, simple lie detector, though some of the questions were quite odd. He said Fury had him build it, one that Ramonoff herself couldn't beat".

Grant had to fight to her his pulse under control, her eyes narrowing in concern as her sensitive fingers picked it up "Sorry, ribs are just smarting" he said with an extra grimace. She nodded and carefully started wrapping them "So did she beat it?"

"If she did he wouldn't admit it, he's rather proud of it" she said with a laugh finishing with his ribs and moving onto the gash on his arm. "Sorry Ward, this one is going to need stiches and after that I'll need to draw some bloodwork, Skye wiped us from existence and Agent Koeing said it's a requirement we all have a sample here on file in case of emergency". He merely nodded, heart leaping, that one little clause taking away his need to figure out how to get samples of DNA to test.

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Coulson felt ill as Skye relayed her information too him. Daniels was going right where he thought he was going too. With everything else that had been going wrong the last few days he had been foolish to think that this would be spared from the Hydra onslaught. Whoever had released Daniels was targeting him, trying to pull his attention away…and it was working. "Skye, based on where he's been spotted how long until he'd reach Portland?"

The young hacker looked at him surprised, millions of questions on the tip of her tongue. Thankfully she kept them to herself "12 hours at most" she said.

He nodded hitting the PA "Fitz can you come to my office, quickly".

Skye finally gave into her curiosity "No offense AC but don't we have bigger fish to fry right now than a crazy stalker….I mean Hydra is trying to hunt us down and kill us after all. Or is she special to someone in Shield?" He sighed and she was taken aback by the sadness in his eyes "Yes she is…me" he said, Skye nearly screaming at Fitz ran in, interrupting them.

"Sir?" He questioned seeing Daniels profile and location up on the screen.

"I need something that can stop Darkforce energy…and you have 3 hours before we are wheels up" Coulson said feeling overwhelming amount of pride when the young engineer didn't so much as bat an eye. "We could overwhelm him with light, if we all concentrated the beams on him it should be more than enough to disrupt his powers and incapacitate him".

"Excellent, I need three of them" Coulson said not bothering to ask questions "Myself, May, Skye, and Tripp will go and capture Daniels".

"Don't you want Simmons and I?" Fitz asked "In case we need to modify the devices in the field?" Skye wondering the same thing.

"Daniels is powerful, I can't be seen meaning I need trained Specialists to take him on" Coulson said "Besides I need you here, I'm sorry but I have another project for you after that". Fitz didn't argue, he didn't stand a chance against someone like Daniels and quite honestly didn't want Simmons's within a hundred miles of him either. "Can you make up more miniature EMP's like you used in Russia? It occurred to me most of what they took from the Fridge can be at the very least slowed down by one".

Fitz nodded again and took off to get Simmons for help. Skye waited until his footfalls had faded "You want to tell me the real reason you are keeping them here, protected by Ward in a base that only a handful of living people know about" she asked. She knew it was dangerous to take new tech into the field without its designer not far behind and EMP's could definitely wait until they returned.

Coulson offered a small smile and sank into a nearby chair "Am I getting that easy to read?" he asked.

Skye offered a small smile in consolation "No, I'm naturally good at reading people and I think May might be rubbing off on me. I swear she has a built in Phil's hiding something radar".

Coulson couldn't' disagree, May knew him better than most people, something that had been very recently been used against him by Fury. "Do you know what they call Scientists in the upper levels?" He asked not wanting her to answer the question though she shook her head no "We call them assets, because that is what they are. Shield wouldn't be Shield without them and most of us would have been dead years ago without the technology they put out. When Shield fell, one of Hydra's first moves was to take as many assets as they could get their hands on from the Hub, Academy, Sandbox, even from the field."

"I saw the footage from the control room when you had your little showdown with Garrett" she said quietly "He wanted Fitz alive" something clicking in her head "Fitzsimmons were on the Bus to protect them!"

Coulson nodded "They were the best to come out of the Academy in years, and the fact that they were a team, very rare, scientists of that caliber don't typically play nice with each other. There had been talk of sending them to work with Stark, after all working in close proximity to an Avenger, Iron Man to boot, could have offered a great deal of protection, they would have thrived there. But it was too dangerous to have them in one spot for too long and the corporate life, openly touting their accomplishments, would have exposed them even more" he paused with a fond smile "I had to fight for them, an Agent Gonzales really wanted them on the Illiad…I took Agent Weaver cupcakes and think it tipped the scales my way." Shuttering to think what would have happened to the pair on the downed ship.

She now understood why they were staying here "You can't risk having them out in the open right now, Hydra is after assets, after them".

"Me, Tripp, Ward, May….we're all set to be crossed off as we've shown ourselves as too loyal. Fitzsimmons, they will force to work with them through any means necessary. I know this is a trap and I'm not willing to risk it being for them".

"Not to sound totally selfish here but why risk taking me? I'm an asset too" Skye said sounding foolish for even asking it. Coulson placed a comforting hand on her arm "Yes you are and just as valuable to me. If there was any other way I would leave you here as well, safe and locked away behind a wall of weapons and Agent Ward" he said much like a father would soothing a child "However not many in Shield know about you and Hydra is more likely to just storm a facility and take the information it needs rather than hack into it. You have been doing well with your training, we need another fighter with Ward out of commission and I'm going to need your help tracking him down once we get closer."

A soft knock at the door interrupted them "Sorry" Agent Koeing said peeking his head in "Have either of you seen Agent Ward, I need to give him his turn the box".

"I saw him in med bay a few hours ago, Simmons gave him something to make him sleep since he hadn't for a few days, pretty sure whatever it was would have taken down an elephant" Skye offered. Koeing looked disappointed but smiled "Thanks, he's a hard man to pin down but I'll make sure Agent Simmons send him to me when he wakes up".

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 _Finally_! Was all Ward could think when Coulson's team finally left the base. He had feigned sleep for hours up until he heard them heading out the door, 'waking' up just in time for last minute instructions from Coulson followed by warning looks from May and Tripp. All three clearly communicating 'you keep them safe or else' in their own ways. Agent Koeing was thankfully not present, having to open the bay doors in the command center, allowing Ward to slip away before he could appear and drag him off for that test.

"I'm going to go grab a bite to eat and then find Agent Koeing" he said as Fitzsimmons followed him down the hall after everyone left. The both looked exhausted making him wonder when the last time they slept was "Maybe you should get some rest before they get to Portland". As usual they shook they spoke in unison.

"We need to get started on another project for Coulson"

"We need to be ready should the device need adjustments before they arrive".

He held his hands up in surrender "Just a suggestion" he said "But really at least try to get some rest, you'll be no good to anyone if your dead on your feet". The both muttered in agreement turning towards the lab as he the galley, already chattering about using smaller components to make sure it, whatever it was, was small enough to fit in a pocket".

He waited until he was sure they were gone and headed back into the med bay, practically running to one of the computers. Garrett needed proof before he proceeded, either way he was bringing the scientists in, this would just determine what they would do with them once Garret had them. He quickly pulled up both Coulson's and Fitz's medical profiles using the passwords and clearances Garrett had given him, apparently changing passwords wasn't a top priority as things collapsed.

He pulled blood samples for both and started running the DNA analysis, comparing the samples knowing all he could do now was wait and will the computer to go faster. Every second felt like an hour as processing flashed on the screen and finally the results popped up.

"Positive Paternal Match"

Ward could only stare his heart racing in his chest as he processed what was before him. Garrett had pretty solid evidence going in but part of him had doubted it.

"There you are Agent Ward!" Koeing said coming into the room "You're a hard man to track…." Ward moved in front the screen trying to hide his behind himself, the look on the other agents face telling him it was too late. "What is that? What are you doing?" Koeing demanded his voice suddenly harsh slowly backing away.

For Ward there was no point in trying to hide or talk his way out of it. Instead he set his face in a cold mask and advanced "You should have minded your own business…"

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Jemma let out a tired sigh, pulling back from her microscope and stretching her aching and tired arms. An alarm on her watch beeping and pulling her away from her work. They had both lost track of time as to how long they had been working and could only assume no news from Coulson was good news for now.

"I need to go give Ward his meds and change his dressings" She said Fitz hunched over his own work station soldering the tiny wires together. He looked up, pulling up the protective glasses "Okay, would it be terrible of me to ask you to bring back a cup of tea?"

She smiled "Not at all, I was about to ask if you would like some". He thanked her and returned to his work, Simmons walking down the empty halls. She had to admit the base was creepy enough as it was but now that there were only four of them there is was something straight out of Dr. Who, and not one of the fun happy episodes. She arrived in the medical bay, surprised to find the door closed.

Knocking softly she entered cautiously "Ward? Are you already in here?" finding no one in the room. Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling she went and began to pull the pills and fresh bandages, setting the neatly on a tray. She frowned as she pulled out the bottle of antibiotics finding there wasn't a full dose. Rummaging through the cabinets she found another, though it seemed older and was one she was not familiar with. "Better make sure there are no adverse effects" she muttered going over to the computer and switching it on.

As it warmed up she felt her stomach fall, her fingers coming back with blood on their tips. She looked more carefully around the room, now catching a hint of disinfectant in the air. The computer beeped signaling it was up and Jemma's knees gave out, the results of the DNA test still on the screen. "Oh my God" she muttered placing her hands to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.

Coulson…Fitz was….Fitz! She had to get to Fitz then Ward and get the hell out of there someone was on the base with them and if they knew what she did…

"Sorry I'm late Doc…" Ward said entering the room with a loud knock causing her to jump. Still on the floor tears streaming down her cheeks, the tears only worsening when she saw the look on the Specialists face.

He had frozen in the doorway and in the blink of an eye Agent Ward's façade falling away and Grant Ward true colors appearing. Dark eyes looking at her and then the computer before pulling out a gun with a silencer and shooting the small device above her multiple times. She couldn't help but scream covering her head and bits of the machine and sparks showered down on her.

She didn't have time to move let alone try to find a weapon before Ward's iron grip latched onto the back of her neck and he hauled her up wrapping one arm around her chest and the other putting the gun against her temple. "Now you had to go and ruin the surprise" he hissed coldly info her ear.

She tried to pry the hand away "Let me go you Hydra piece of sh…"

Ward pressed the gun harder against her temple silencing her "Now that was very unladylike of you" he taunted hauling her towards to door "And why on earth would I let such a lovely little piece of leverage go". She didn't need to be a Genius to know where he was heading next. "No! Leo! Fitz run! Please run!" she screamed as loud as she could, hardly recognizing her own voice as it tore from her throat.

"You do realize he's going to do the exact opposite" Ward taunted now merely waiting in the hall "That you're going to bring him right where I want him, away from all those wonderful weapons he's been working on. Because I know your little Hero will always come running for you".

Unable to do much else she drove her foot into his, rewarded with an annoyed grunt at her efforts. "No, leave him alone, please!"

"Jemma!"

Sure enough Fitz came barreling around the corner moment later, ICER in hand, nearly tripping over his own feet at what he found "Ward? What in the bloody hell are you doing?" he questioned looking desperately and Jemma crying and straining against the gun.

"Just run Leo! Leave me" Grant shaking her to quiet her.

"You know what needs to happen" Ward said nodding towards the weapon. He could practically hear the two arguing with each other merely from the look on the young engineers face as they silently communicated with each other, Fitz shaking his head. "Now" he finally ordered squeezing her so hard she let out a whimper.

"Fine, just don't hurt her" Fitz yelled tossing the weapons away and holding up his hands in surrender. Simmons sagged in defeat against him "First stop is the control room, you're going to wipe ever bit of security footage from this base and open the bay…we're going on a little trip". Fitz immediately began to comply, Ward easily catching up, "And if you so much twitch towards anything that resembles communications, she's dead, got it?"

He nodded numbly, hands visibly shaking as he pulled up the footage. He went room by room, most empty, tears forming in his own eyes as what had transpired in the med bay came up "You monster" Jemma cried turning her head away unable to watch as Ward brutally dispatched the caretaker before stuffing him in the freezer and attempting to clean up.

"Hand is dead and Garrett's not locked up is he?" Fitz asked deleting the footage, trying to get a fleeting glimpse of what Jemma had seen on the computer that had gotten her so worked up. "You're taking us to him aren't you? You might as well just kill me now because I will never work for Hydra".

Ward let out a cold laugh, one that sent chills up both scientists, "We'll see about that and you are far too valuable to kill Little Monkey". He could see him tighten up at the once affectionate nickname as he continued working. "In all honestly so is she, but make no mistake I will kill her if you disobey, you are my primary target" Ward said running the gun down the side of her face and neck. "Besides there are things I can do that are far worse than death, you both know that".

Fitz deleted the last of the footage looking at Grant with pleading eyes "What do they have on you?" he asked switching tactics "Whatever it is tell us, Coulson can fix it, we can all fix it together…you don't have to do this". Grant almost felt bad at the hope shining in his eyes, he had played his part of protector well.

"They don't have anything on me, now to the Bus" he asked coldly Fitz following, sending a reassuring look to Jemma. "This is who I really am, I have been a mole for the Clairvoyant from the beginning, getting as much information on Coulson, the Team, and GH-325 as possible". Simmons gasped when he said Coulson's name and Ward couldn't resist "And boy did I find out more than even Garrett bargained for…"

"Stop you're hurting her" Fitz said seeing the fresh round of tears falling down his friends face.

"That's not why she's crying" Ward said clearly enjoying tormenting her "Is it Jemma?"

She snarled as he used her first name, Fitz looking even more panicked and ready to do something foolish "Keep your pants on Lover Boy" Ward admonished "She'll fill you in once your all tucked in the Cage…it'll be better coming from her".

It was only when the approached the door of the Cage that Fitz spoke again in one last desperate bid to save her "You've got me, I'm who Garret wants right…leave her here…I swear I'll cooperate". Ward didn't even blink shoving Fitz into the small room, the cot from his stay still on the floor, Simmons stumbling in on top of him. Fitz had his arms around her in an instant, curling around her protectively. "Have a nice chat" he said slamming the door.

Jemma was sobbing, her entire body releasing the tension "Did he hurt you?" Fitz asked torn between holding her and checking her for injuries. She merely shook her head, desperately trying to control herself, he needed to know, and he needed to know now. "There is something you have to know, now" she said forcefully grabbing his hands and looking him dead in the eye. It was the first time she had done so since reading the results and for the first time did she realize she had his father's crystal blue yes. "It's about your father" she said carefully his confusion clearly evident.

"What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything?" he demanded his absent father honestly the last thing on his mind these days. Though now that she had brought it up his brain started to run wild with scenarios as to how his father played any role in this mess they now found themselves in "Oh God, don't tell me he's really one of Hydra's heads…"

She shook her head and he felt a little relief "No" she said firmly "Actually he's the farthest thing from it…Leo…Its Coulson…Coulson is your father".

His voice failed him and he let out a couple of squeaks before the shock and adrenaline caught up with him, his entire world going black.

To Be Continued….


	3. Revelations

The small group could only stare at the empty hanger in shock, "Where's my plane?" May asked dangerously, Coulson shaking his head "I don't know" he said a sickening feeling forming in the pit of his stomach.

"Fitzsimmons…Ward" Skye whispered before taking off in a run ignoring the three senior agents behind her telling her to stop. "Ward" she shouted running into the base, the others not far behind. "Fitzsimmons! Grant!" she cried again.

Coulson drew his weapon, May and Tripp following suite "There goes the element of surprise" he muttered making sure to have a pointed conversation with Ward about teaching his rookie the importance of said element. "Tripp" he began the younger man already running after the hacker "Yeah, make sure she doesn't get killed, I'm on it" he finished.

May was at his side instantly, eyes scanning for any signs of an attack or struggle. "Where too first?" she asked.

"Command center" Coulson said, "see if we can find Agent Koeing". They moved quickly down the hall, weapons ready, checking every room and closet they passed "Maybe they had to evacuate, if the base was compromised?" May suggested.

He nodded in agreement but it seemed unlikely, Ward would have let them know and not let them come back to a compromised location. They moved silently almost praying they would see some sign of an ambush by now. The command center's door was closed, Coulson lining up at the side of the door while May readied herself in front of it. He her a small nod when he was ready and with an easy kick the door fell, May rolling up guns out and Coulson right behind her, again greeted by nothing but an empty room.

Satisfied it was safe, Coulson first tried pulling up the footage from the hours they've been away "It's been deleted" he said sitting back. May sat next to him, pulling up the current feeds to see Skye and Tripp heading for the Med Bay at a run. "There not here" she said going room by room.

"Or hiding" Coulson said his voice betraying he didn't believe his own statement. Skye had made enough racket coming in that if they were hiding they would have known it was safe to come out.

The communicator crackled to life as they searched the med bay "AC, May….better get down here" she said quietly "There is something you need to see". Phil allowed himself a moment, letting his head fall and the stress catch up with him, Melinda's gentle hand on his shoulder squeezing it in comfort. No words were needed, she was there for him and they would face whatever it was together. "Thanks" he whispered briefly squeezing her hand before pulling himself up.

They entered the Med Bay to find Skye working on a bullet ridden laptop, showing it to the arriving pair "Pretty sure this poor thing has some answers for us" she said.

"Can you salvage what was on it?" Coulson asked already knowing the answer. She nodded absently pulling her own laptop out of the bag she'd worn on the mission attaching wires to the battered device "Give me a minute".

Tripp came up keeping his voice low so she couldn't hear. "We found an ICER at the junction from the lab to here, and there is a tray of dressings and meds on the table, I'm assuming it's for Ward, Simmons would have continued treating him and his bandages were due to be changed a few hours after we left. Either it was interrupted and never happened. The lab is a mess but Skye called it a Fitzsimmons 'we've been working and haven't tidied up yet/for God's don't touch that' mess' complete with an awful accent".

May tilted her head looking at the floor carefully for a few moments "Blood" she said, Skye's head shooting up from her work. "Keep going" Coulson ordered her needing to know what was on there so bad that someone felt it needed to be destroyed. May knelt down brushing her fingers over it finding it dry, checking around until she found another drop, and another. There was enough space between the drops, a couple of smears showing that someone had tried to clean it up. Following the line of site she looked up and saw the freezer, the others right behind her.

Coulson was the one to move forward, Tripp and May pulling their weapons back out. Carefully he approached it, grabbing the handle slowly and saying a silent prayer. With is free hand he counted down from three, turning the latch as fast as he could and swinging the door wide open to allow the Specialists a clear shot if they needed it.

Skye cried out as Koeing's body crashed to the floor, frozen blood on his hand and around his neck, eyes open in unseen terror. Tripp swore and kicked the nearest chair to vent his frustration while Coulson knelt down sadly and closed the agent's eyes with some difficulty, hand brushing the wound on his neck. "It appears to have been done with a ligature".

"Up close…quiet" May murmured.

"Take it there was nothing in the command center" Tripp asked now pacing.

"Deleted" Coulson said an awful realization starting to sink in, Tripp voicing it for him. "Logs deleted, caretaker killed quietly and hidden, with no signs of a struggle…an inside job". Fitzsimmons wasn't physically capable of killing Koeing as he had been, lacking the strength and height to do so.

"Got it" Skye cheered the brief smile falling from her face almost instantly as she grabbed her screen to get a better look. She peered up looking at Coulson her words failing her "What is it?" he asked coming towards her and she clutched the device to her chest to hide it from him. "No!" She finally said pleading eyes turning to May "May….May needs to see it first…trust me, please".

He backed up the tension in the room so thick they could feel it, May cautiously stepping up next to Skye as she pulled the screen away allowing her to look. May sagged forward, hands gripping the edge of the counter for support. "Did you know?" Skye whispered.

The Calvary shook her head eyes fixed on the screen "Are you sure this is accurate, it hasn't been faked?"

"I'm sure" Skye said not able to go into why she knew it, the technicality of it had little meaning right now. May took a deep breath "Skye take Tripp to the command center and see if you can either bring back any of that footage or track the Bus.". They both obeyed, Tripp knowing he would be filled in when the time was right.

Once they were gone May turned to her friend and partner "Phil, I need you to sit down" she said gently. Coulson knew whatever it was it wasn't good, his first name combined with that tone. He obeyed sitting on a stool across from her.

She took a moment to decide where she wanted to go with this, "Phil, you were on a long con in Scotland once right?"

He nodded, not having thought of that that particular op in years now. She sat down next to him, keeping the laptop partially closed so he couldn't see. "And you had a romantic relationship with someone while there?"

"I wouldn't call it a relationship, more relations" he said guiltily "I was young and stupid. I had a one night stand with a young lady I met in a bar after drinking myself silly with a few of the other agents…we'd had a major breakthrough that day and were out celebrating. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know her name, she was gone when I woke up…why, why is that important now?"

May drew a breath now feeling to just get it out would be best "Because, she had a child, your child…and that child has been on your team for months" she said turning the computer around and showing him the results "Phil, its Leo, he's your son…"

Coulson stumbled atop the stool and would have fallen off the stool if May hadn't been there to steady him, arms doing the only thing she could think of and wrapped her arms around him protectively. How had he not known! He himself had read Fitz's bio, even read his parent's names as he readied himself to meet them but never paid any head to it, his own alias staring back at him as he'd been informed Fitz's father had left when he was young….Fury himself had told him that! Planted to the seed to that caused him to dismiss the obvious.

"I have a son…"

"I have a son…"

"Leo is my son…." He whispered to himself still wrapped in May's arms. He had literally died not knowing he had a son, had missed out on his entire life, not been there for him like a father should have. Tears now followed tears of grief for the years he lost, tears for the danger he had been unknowingly putting his own child in, terror as he recalled how Camila's men had held a scalpel at his neck, Hand sent him into Russia without an extraction team, or Garrett had circled him back at the Hub. At that moment he vowed to make Ward tell him where they had hidden the traitor so he could kill him with his bare hands.

He didn't know long they stayed there, unmoving, weeping into his friends arms, finally allowing himself to breakdown after everything he had been through. Melinda merely held him as he let it out, tears of her own glistening in her eyes, yet she refused to let them fall. Then the broken man in her arms spoke "Melinda, where is my son?" he asked desperately.

Grief and anger overwhelmed her now, the tears falling as she made a vow of her own. For someone to pay dearly for this and heaven help Fury if he knew about this…she'd personally dig him up give him the GH-325 just to kill him again, slowly and painfully in the most creative way she could think of.

"I am so sorry but Hydra has him Sir" Tripp said from the door of the room, a deathly pale Skye clinging to him and hand over her own mouth to muffle her own sobs. Coulson was up in a second his grief turning to anger in an instant "What?" he demanded. Skye tried to speak, her voice cracking as she turned to Tripp with pleading eyes.

He gave her a squeeze "The base's cameras were all cleared but the hanger is on a separate system and only came up after the door has been opened. Skye was able to pull it up…" he paused almost unwilling to hurt them further.

"Out with it" Coulson demanded "What happened?!"

"Ward" he said Skye shaking her head, unable to deny what she had seen with her own eyes. "The camera's showed Agent Ward forcing Fitzsimmons onto the Bus".

"Forcing?" May asked beating Coulson too it "Are you sure he wasn't evacuating them?"

It was Skye who answered wiping angry tears away and storming over and pulling her laptop back to her, minimizing the results and pulling up the footage. As she worked the words tumbled out "Forced! Kidnapped! Coerced! Whatever you want to call it!" she nearly shrieked "He had a gun to Jemma's head!" and with one last keystroke the video came to life. There was no mistaking it. Fitz walking up the ramp continually casting nervous glances back at Simmons. Simmons looked terrified and defeated while Ward cold and calculating as they disappeared from view.

"They take off about 15 minutes later" Tripp said "Garrett was Ward's SO they must have been working together. He always did have oddly special relationship…"

"Go back!" Coulson said suddenly "To where they were going up the ramp". Skye complied and Coulson took the computer from her rewinding the scene a few times before freezing the screen. Tripp let out a whistle and May a small smile at what they saw "That's my boy" Coulson whispered. Fitz was looking directly at the camera, directly at them, hand over his pocket, bright eyes conveying the message.

"Skye…" Coulson started the young hacker already running out the door.

"Get his tablet I know!" she shot back.

Coulson looked at the frozen image on the screen as they waited for her to return with Fitz's tablet, the one that would could find his trackers, just like the one he had in his pocket when he was taken. "Just hang on, I'm coming for you".

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Fitz woke slowly to the feeling of fingers gently running through his hair and Jemma's scent washing over him. For a few brief, blissful moments, he though they were back in Providence, in their quarters, and she had merely chased away another nightmare. The bliss fading as his mind caught up with him and what had transpired finally took hold.

"It wasn't one of my nightmares was it? We've been kidnapped by Ward, who is in fact a Hydra agent, and my father is…" he croaked unable to finish the statement, Jemma jumping slightly not realizing he was a awake, he pulled himself up her eyes sad, wishing she could just lie to him and make it better.

"No" she said softly wishing she could just lie to him "It wasn't a nightmare…a sleeping one anyway. We are still on the Bus, you've been down for a few hours". He sat in silence resting his head against the wall for a few moments, taking her hand in his own, allowing the last of the shock to melt away, being upset and angry right now wouldn't help them.

"Do you think he knew?" Fitz asked Simmons knowing exactly who the 'he' was he referring too.

She shook her head adamantly "I don't. Coulson is not to kind of man to turn his back on his friends let alone his son…he would have come unglued in Peru and never let Russia happen in the first place".

Fitz was about to agree when the door to the Cage opened revealing Ward once more, he had changed into all black since arriving on the plane and was now armed with multiple weapons they could see and countless they knew they couldn't. "Have a nice nap?" he asked setting a tray of food and water on the table.

The betrayal was still fresh and stung as if he had slapped them "What do you want?" Fitz hissed edging forward on the bed so he was in from of Jemma. Ward noticed the small gesture with a smile, pulling up his gun "I though you would appreciate a trip to the loo to freshen up. I know you are comfortable with each other but the one in here leaves a lot to be desired. If you're good I'll let you grab a change of clothes from your bunks". The pair stared back at him hatefully and again he could swear they were communicating "However, if you so much as take one step out of line…" he threatened not bothering to finish it.

With narrowed eyes they nodded, Fitz standing first and offering a hand to Jemma to help her up. She had been stuck beneath his sleeping form for hours and her muscles where stiff. Once she was up he wrapped a protective arm around her and kept himself as a buffer between her and their former friend.

They arrived at the bathroom and ever the gentleman Fitz let her in first "Five minutes" Ward warned before the door closed to allow her a little privacy. He had searched it before allowing them in, taking everything that wasn't bolted down.

Fitz continued to glare at Ward, imagining someone…May…beating the man to a pulp in every way possible. Grant was amused and had to admire his spirit and courage. "You really didn't know did you?" he asked, Fitz crossing his arms in another act of defiance.

"If it makes you feel better we don't think he does either. Garrett thinks Fury did and didn't tell him because he was worried he'd loose one of his best agents. After all if Coulson had known about you he would have run off to be dad of the year, football games, science fares, family trips…the whole nine yards. Not to mention what an awful liability you would be to him, someone who had access to Shield's deepest and darkest secrets, access to the Avengers, able to be compromised so easily". This time Fitz looked away as if ashamed and Ward went in for the kill "Wait until you see the reveal Garrett has planned…"

The door to the bathroom opened and Simmons came out, her eyes alight with rage. She motioned Fitz in and waited until the door had closed before turning her fire on her captor "You really think they don't know already" she said oddly calm with a smile on her face. Ward started back at her trying to find where and how they had left any sort of message in their exit from Providence. "The computer you dolt" she said realizing he hadn't noticed his own mistake. "Did you honestly think shooting the thing up would delete the data? That our resident hacker would have any trouble salvaging what was on it, we've seen her pull stuff off computers that had been in explosions for heaven's sake, a few bullets would be a walk in the park".

It was Ward's turn to remain defiantly silent. "Coulson knows" she continued pressing her advantage "Even though it was as a spy, you've been with us for months, you know that man will move heaven and earth for his team…just what do you think will happen for his son…"

Ward had enough and slapped her across the face, silencing her, the door to the bathroom flying open seconds later and Fitz launching himself on Wards back, arms tightly around his neck "Don't touch her" he screamed. Simmons was up too diving at the Specialist, grabbing the gun in his hand and trying to wrestle it away.

The struggle was painfully brief, the two of them though angry and motivated were no match for him. Ward first threw himself against the bulkhead, smashing Fitz between him and the wall of metal sending him crumpling to the floor unconscious. It was Simmons turn to scream, redoubling her efforts for the gun, Grant slamming his forehead into hers, dropping her instantly.

Heaving a heavy sigh he looked down at the unconscious scientists. He'd expected them to fight back and somewhere in him was proud of their ill-fated efforts. What he didn't like was Simmons pointing out his screw up. She was right Skye would have no trouble retrieving the information by now, Coulson knew, and Coulson was now even more dangerous. Garrett was going to give him a beating he'd never forget when he got back for it.

He slung Simmons over his shoulder and drug Fitz by his collar along the floor making his way back to the Cage. He briefly considered splitting them up, as they worked so well as a team, deciding they would be considerably more dangerous and desperate not knowing the fate of their partner.

He laid them just inside the door not inclined to ensure there comfort, slamming and locking the door before heading for the cockpit.

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Garrett could hardly hold himself still as he lounged in one of the common areas of his own base. Like Fury he had spent years setting up a small network of safe houses and bases, knowing that Hydra would eventually come out of the shadows and he would need a place to hide from Shield, especially when his Clairvoyant activities began. This particular one was deep underground, the entrance disguised as an abandoned mine, a hanger carved into the mountain and cloaked with a façade of rocks. Around him his men chatted casually all waiting for Ward's arrival.

He had little contact with his protégé since we went back to Coulson, however knew the window had opened for Grant to attack when Coulson and a few of his team showed up to protect the girl in Portland, exactly as he had planned. And to John's utter delight there was no sign of the engineer meaning he had been left back at the base. Then a few hours ago, a brief message on one of the hidden Hydra channels, he had been right and Ward was on his way.

"Sir!" one of the men said running in doing the ridiculous Hail Hydra salute "He's back".

Garrett smiled halfheartedly returning the salute and poured himself a celebratory shot of scotch. "Go help him unload his package…and don't damage it" he warned "I need him in one piece". Again the salute as he and a few others scampered off.

They returned a few minutes later, Ward entering first with a small satisfied smile on his face, leading the men with not one but two struggling scientists. Their hands had been handcuffed but all in all they looked to be in good shape save for an ugly purple bruise on the Chemists forehead.

"My Boy!" Garrett boomed standing up and clapping Grant on the back eyes shining with pride "You have outdone yourself this time!" He could see the rest of the men in the room scowl with jealousy but all remained silent. They knew Ward was Garrett's Golden Boy and they all longed to take his place. "The match set of Fitzsimmons, darlings of the Academy, and Phil Coulson's favorite little lab rats for more than one reason".

Ward enjoyed the praise and basked in it for a few more seconds before delivering the news that would ruin it all. "Sadly she discovered your surprise sir, the kid knows" he said amazed the two had stayed quiet this long, not so much as a word since he had retrieved them from the Cage. And a quiet Fitzsimmons was never ever a good thing…they were up too something.

Garrett looked truly disappointed motioning for the agent holding Simmons to bring her over. This time both reacting, she trying to pull away and Fitz trying to get in front of her. "Stay away from her" the engineer hissed being held firmly in place. Jemma was forced onto the couch next to Garrett, his hand forcefully taking her chin her eyes defiantly meeting his own "Did you ruin my surprise? Because I was going to have a lot of fun with the reveal, bought Phil some nice cigars and everything" he questioned.

Ward had thought she was either refuse to answer or give a snarky retort, instead she answered very truthfully "Only because your lap dog left it on the computer in my medical bay" she shot back and she wasn't' done, not by a mile, if they were going down she was taking Ward with them. "In fact we are 100% sure Agent Coulson knows too…after all a few bullets in the computer will do nothing to deter Agent Skye from finding what's on there".

"Grant?" Garrett questioned dangerously.

Honeymoons over he thought bitterly before answering his SO "She is correct both she and Agent Koeing came upon my testing the DNA, I dispatched him but Agent Simmons here found it before I could destroy the evidence and I needed her to ensure Agent Fitz's compliance. As she pointed out I did an unsatisfactory job of it and take full responsibility for my actions" he ground out.

Garrett pushed her away motioning the guard restraining Fitz to bring him over. "That we will, but for now you got out with the scientists here who can pass the time until we are ready to call for Daddy Dearest by working on my GH-325 and some new enhancements, I simply love what you did for Deathlock".

Fitz and Simmons looked at each other doing that blasted communication thing they did again, he was starting to think they might need to be tested for some sort of power that allowed them to do that. Per usual they responded in unison "Where's the lab?"

"Wait, what?!" Grant shouted in clear and utter shock, that was the last thing he thought that would come out of their mouths. He figured it would take a lot of threats and possibly some torture to even get them to think about acquiescing to Garrett's needs. Simmons replied with a tight, polite smile "I am eager to continue my work on the GH-325, after all it was what I was working on when you all so kindly took the Hub and blew up all my resources for doing so". Garrett was pleased rubbing his hands together "We made you a very nice one…." when it hit Ward like a punch to the gut, there is one reason they would be cooperating…they were stalling.

"Search them" Ward ordered cutting Garrett off and already grabbing Fitz by the throat, his free hand searching through the engineer's pockets. He found it, a small round piece of metal in Fitz's front pocket, one side looked like a quarter while the other revealing the electronic components inside. Garrett fished something similar out of Jemma's cardigan pocket. "Tracers, he was working on trackers in the lab!" Ward seethed more than ready to slap the smug look right off the engineers face.

"You didn't search them after you captured them!" John yelled "Damn it Ward I trained you better than that!" Coulson and his team would have a lock on the location and would no doubt be on the way here by now, much sooner than his plan wanted them, he needed the kids to complete his projects.

Ward had no excuse, searching a captives was practically Kidnapping 101, especially when you were kidnapping a pair of geniuses. "They are coming" Fitz said really speaking for the first time since arriving, scratch that for the first time since getting captured. "And you are going to pay dearly for your treason, all of you, you have no idea what you have brought down upon yourselves" leveling his gaze at Garrett "My Father is coming for us and I honestly do feel sorry for you". Even as he said the words, Fitz felt his chest warm in comfort.

Garrett cursed activating the bases evacuation alarm, "We move out in 45!" he shouted.

"Sir?" one of the men, Comisky "The team is down to four, surely we can take them all". Everyone in the room froze, questioning Garrett's orders was one of the best ways to get yourself killed. Garrett seemed to consider his options and saw the confusion in everyone's faces, including his captives. "I have full confidence in your abilities to take out four Shield agents...however we need time with them" gesturing to Fitzsimmons "if you want those fancy upgrades we all talked about. If you have a problem with it we can have a little one on one time…" he finished staring each and every man in the room down. For a few moments no one moved before Comisky saluted and began to pack things up, scrambling to grab supplies and anything of value.

"Grant, get the girl back on the Bus. Someone bring me a camera, Leo and I are going to leave a little present for Phil…little something to ensure he stays out of our hair for a bit…" he ordered Ward as he shoved Simmons into his arms, and for the first time since arriving she had started to feel real fear.

"No" she said trying to pull away "Fitz, no!" she cried as she was pulled away.

Garrett waited until they were all gone and the camera set up before addressing Fitz. To his credit, as back at the Hub, he was clearly terrified but determined to put on a brave face. "What do you say we give something for Coulson to chew on after he finds an empty base" he began. The young engineer meeting his gaze holding his head high "Do your worst".

To Be Continued…


	4. To Keep Him Safe

AN: Wow! Thanks so much for the great feedback form the last chapter. As always thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favs. They are incredibly motivating!

Phil Coulson stared at the tablet in his hands as the Quinjet flew through the night sky, May pushing it as fast as it would go towards where the trackers signal was coming from. The white dot blinking a silent call for help. It had been a few hours since they left Providence, desperately taking what they could carry before taking off, vowing to return and give Eric a proper burial later.

He sat in the cockpit with May needing the silence and time to gather his own thoughts. He had wished Skye hadn't scrubbed their identities now, wanting to go back through Fitz's records, read what he could about him with a new set of eyes. Guilt still gnawed at him and he berated himself for not seeing what had been in front of him for months, starting to feel he was too consumed with his quest to find out who was behind Tahiti.

May turned to study him, having watched him for the last few hours, deciding he had had enough time to have a pity party. "I know what you are thinking over there, it's not your fault, so stop acting like it is" she said both gently and forcefully at the same time.

He scoffed, "How is it not my fault? I put my blind faith in Fury and look where it's gotten me…killed…torturously resurrected without my consent….kidnapped…tortured again….all the while he was hiding my own son from me" Coulson said for the first time in his Shield career he was questioning Director Fury.

"I'm not condoning it, and believe me I plan on helping you have a long conversation with Director Fury about this when we find him, however I do think he was trying to protect both of you. For obvious reasons Fitz would be used against you but have you thought about it the other way around….you being used to force him to do something, build something terrible" she said eyes on the beacon blinking on the screen.

He rubbed his hands over his face May continuing "Garrett was gunning for him even before he knew he was your son. If anything I think it will ensure he keeps both of them alive until we can get there. Fitz is now very valuable leverage to you and Simmons to keep him in line".

He found little comfort in the statement but knew she was right, Fitz would be safe until Garrett got whatever he wanted out of him. A soft wrap from the cargo area revealed Skye and Tripp, Skye clutching her laptop to his chest, something she seemed to be doing a lot lately. "Or maybe he needed them, both of them, all along" she said.

May set the auto pilot and turned as well. Tripp picked up where she left off "I was with Garret for a long time before the fall" he said "and something about him just rubbed me the wrong way…so I started keeping notes on our missions and Garrett himself….I swear if I had thought Hydra I would told someone".

"It wouldn't have done you any good" Coulson assured "too much of the upper levels were Hydra themselves and you would have wound up face down in a pool like the others"

"We've been looking through them and cross referencing to Shield missions, seeing if there was a pattern" Skye said, gone was the sobbing girl from back at the base. She had pulled herself together with a new sense of purpose and funning all her fury and frustration into finding her friends. "Nearly every official mission for the last few months was connected to Centipede in some way. Be it outright raiding a Centipede facility or tracing down where the components came from….back even before I found Mike Peterson".

Tripp looked upset with himself "He kept me busy on enough side missions that I didn't pick up on it until I went back and read everything again".

Skye ignored him and continued "I also hacked into his Shield account to see what he was looking at…yeah clearly the Clairvoyant…but after our first mission is when he seemed to develop what I can only call an unhealthy obsession with you and Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons due to their stabilization of the Extremis and later Simmons work with the GH-325. And you because you were alive, there were literally hundreds of inquiries into it. He tried many times to hack into the Bus's systems but couldn't get past my firewalls…thankfully I never gave the traitor the password".

Tripp opened up a specific page in his journal, a list of dates and length of time "I think I can explain the obsession with you and the drug at least, Garrett is sick or dying. There were times were I could catch glimpses of him down or doubled over and then after he would disappear sometimes days at a time".

"And we now know Hydra was developing the Centipede soldiers" May finished.

"Sir…its possible Garrett has some Centipede components as well" Tripp said "He rarely would do hand to hand combat training with us, but one day he was I guess in the mood to relive his glory days and had me go a few rounds with him. I got a shot into his side and I swear I hit metal, he brushed it off as his 'rock hard abs'…but we've seen he's no Agent Ward in the at respect"

Coulson sat back pensive as the pieces falling into place and going back to Skye's original statement. Garrett had shot Skye to force him to find the serum, he'd walked Garrett right into the Guest House, and he'd been on the Bus long enough after to see Simmons begin her work on it. He'd also been on the Bus, on Missions with Fitz…he knew exactly what the young engineer was capable of. "He was after them from the beginning" he repeated "Fitz being my son is now just an added bonus…something he can use against us".

"Sir" Tripp said "From what we can tell you are what's left of the Shield leadership, and as far as we can tell you are the only one trying to mobilize things…If I were Hydra I would sure as hell make sure I had you out of the way".

A soft chime from the control panel caused May to turn "We're approaching the signal" she said flipping off the auto pilot and taking the stick. She descended lower so they could get a good look at their target, Skye letting out a curse. The side of the cliff was wide open to reveal an empty hanger, the lights on glowing like a beacon in the dark desert night.

"Something tells me they've moved on" Coulson said scanning the mountain for heat signatures anyway as she circled around once more. "Nothing" he said the scan complete the small bubble of hope he had vanishing once more. "May land, we still should check it out….see if we can find any clues or message as to where they are going next".

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"Grant Douglas Ward!" Jemma screamed at the top of her lungs banging on the door of the Cage with bloodied hands. "You bring him to me and you do it this instant!" she continued having given up trying to stop the tears ages ago. She hadn't seen Fitz since she was forced away from him at the base…when he was alone with Garrett…when Garrett was leaving a message for Agent Coulson. A fresh wave of tears began to flow as her worry redoubled, terrified he had been beaten and tortured for the madman to make a point.

"I know you can see and hear me you Hydra filth!"

Ward watched the monitors with a raised eyebrow surprised to see the normally reserved scientist throwing what seemed to be a temper tantrum in her prison. Garrett had opted to keep them apart in the hours since taking off, when he had drug a battered and barely conscious Fitz onto the plane, handcuffing him to one of the chairs in the lounge where he could watch him like a hawk.

Grant felt a small ping of guilt at the site of the large angry finger shaped bruises on the young engineer's neck and bleeding cut on his forehead. He wasn't a fool, he knew exactly what had happened on that video. He'd left instructions and incentive for Coulson to find.

"She's still going?" Garrett asked coming up behind his protégé "I would have though a little thing like that would have run out of gas ages ago".

"If anything she's picking up steam" Ward said "Started using middle names and everything". Garrett laughed and watched her for a bit "What do you say we put her out of her misery" he said. Grant followed and pulled out his ICER, he wouldn't put anything past the hysterical Jemma right now. After all she had shot Agent Sitwell trying to get information on what was happening to Fitz on their two man mission.

They arrived at the door, Ward opening it a crack "Agent Simmons I suggest you calm down". She must have thought Fitz was with them and stepped back. He opened to door all the way allowing Garrett to enter, not at all surprised about the disappointment and anger in her eyes. Her chest heaved from the effort while her face was red and puffy from the tears.

"Where is he? What have you done with him?" she seethed all out launching herself at Garrett. Ward easily caught her and pinned her arms to her sides.

"Relax" Garrett said "Your boyfriend is just fine" Grant noticing she didn't correct him like she normally would instead trying to pull her arms free. "However, how long he stays that way is entirely up to you right now". He could feel her tense up in his hold.

"What do you want?" she asked softly, her voice raw from hours of screaming.

Ward had always marveled at how John could get people to do what he wanted so easily, the man having a gift for finding weaknesses and exploiting them. Though Fitzsimmons wasn't necessarily the toughest nut to crack, he himself using her against her friend the day before.

"I have a sample of GH-325 I snagged from the Guest House, I need you to verify it's the same type that was injected into Skye and Coulson…that its safe for someone to take" he replied his voice soft, kind, like Grant remembered form when he was a lost teenager. "I'll even let you see him while my boys get the lab set up". He felt her tense again, clearly torn, that moment of indecision only egging Garrett on. "Refuse me" he said all the kindness gone from his voice "And I will make him suffer in ways even your brilliant mind can't fathom".

"You need him alive…" she shot back Garrett on her in a second, he mouth right against her ear so Ward had to strain to hear "Yes, I do need him alive but that won't stop me from…let's say taking a hammer to his toes or even better those very useful fingers of his, shattering those fragile bones one by one while you watch…"

"I'll do it!" she shouted sagging back "now please, let me see him…"

Garrett nodded patting her face as she shuttered in revulsion "That's a good girl", Ward leading her out while he went to get the lab situated for her. She waited until Garrett was gone before wrenching her arms again, this time Ward letting her go, she wouldn't run right now having nowhere to go. "How can you be going along with this? You were our friend…our protector" she asked wrapping her arms around herself.

"I owe Garrett everything" he said simply and she filed that information away. He'd said Garrett not Hydra. She wanted to press more but she was lead into the lounge, a small terrified squeak escaping her at the site of Fitz, curled up on the couch asleep. A long chain running from one of this wrists to a newly installed bolt in the wall. "Oh Fitz" Even from there she could see the purple on his neck and the dried blood on his forehead "Get me a first aid kit" she ordered, Ward merely starting back at her indifferently but nodded to one of the men.

She rushed to him kneeling on the floor next to him, running one hand through his hair the other taking his handcuffed hand. He didn't stir so she leaned down kissing him softly to wake him up, not caring who was watching or that this wasn't necessarily the best time or place to be having a first kiss. His eyes flew open in shock before he returned the gentle gesture, this was definitely not how he'd pictured their first kiss happening either. He pulled away with a small smile before his eyes narrowed as he looked at Ward behind him, smiling "What?" He hissed slowly sitting up, wincing in pain.

"Nothing, May just owes me fifty bucks, I'll make sure to collect it before I kill her".

Fitz wanted to respond, attack, something but Jemma placed a comforting hand on his arm and shook her head "Not now" she whispered "I don't know how long I have". Fear welled in his eyes as the prospect of being separated again, part of him wondering if the stunt with the trackers was even worth it now. The agent arrived with the first aid kid and she quickly went to work cleaning his cut "What did he do to you?" she asked.

"Not much, choked me for a bit and…dislocated, talked for a bit then reset my shoulder….the cut was on our way back to the plane….he said something rather ungentlemanly about you and well I felt the need to defend your honor". Without thinking she kissed him again, his free hand coming up to cup her face simple touches conveying more than words ever could between them. She pulled away wishing they didn't' have such an audience right now and turned her attention to making sure he was okay before she was taken away.

"What did he tell Coulson to do?" she asked quietly seeing the guilt in his eyes instantly as she forced his shirt up to make sure his shoulder had been set correctly. "First it was the whole supervillain 'I have your son' spiel, seriously Jem right out of a bloody Bond movie…and if he ever wanted to see us again he had 72 hours to find Director Fury".

Jemma gasped "Fury's dead" she said a little louder so goons could hear, neither one believing that was true. Fitz continued "At that time Garrett would contact him and give him drop location…oh and he's not to call any of the Avengers for help either".

"So deliver a dead man and no super heroes, brilliant" she said satisfied the shoulder was okay deciding to spend what little time she had left snuggled against his chest. "I didn't think that was the original plan" she muttered still not caring the room was full of Ward and a bunch of Hydra Agents.

His free arm now wrapped around he made a show of lowering his voice a bit, forcing himself not to smile and some of them actually leaned in to hear better. "I don't think it was either…He doesn't intend on letting either of us go" Fitz said, Garrett making that perfectly clear on their way back. "He still needs us for what I starting to assume are selfish reasons".

She nodded in agreement, snuggling in deeper and closing her eyes. He understood she wanted a few moments of peace, his hand running idly up and down her arms. The men guarding them now clearly uncomfortable at the intimate moment they were intruding upon.

Ward settled into a chair himself, never taking his eyes off the pair, making sure they were secretly building a bomb out of the contents of the first aid kit. Fitz met his gaze and held it as if daring him to say something. The traitor chose to remain silent, Garrett appearing about an hour later still looking exceedingly pleased with himself. "Time up!" he shouted starting the bio chemist awake, her hand clutching to Fitz's shirt.

"Come along, I held up my end of the deal and it's time for you to do yours" Garrett said Ward standing with him.

"Jemma?" Fitz questioned feeling sick at the prospect of her making any sort of deal with this monster.

She sat up giving him one last kiss "I couldn't let him hurt you Leo….he wants me to verify a sample". Her eyes bore into his and again Ward knew that was a bad idea. Fitz nodded in understanding and whispered something in her ear. "…don't worry they won't find it…." she whispered just a little too loudly back.

"If she finishes quickly I'll let her come back for another visit, how's that?" Garrett said leading her away "See, I'm not an unreasonable man, this doesn't have to be a bad arrangement. As I told Agent Fitz at the Hub, if you volunteer you will be rewarded". She held her tongue and followed Ward waiting until they were well away from the lounge before grabbing and pinning her to the wall roughly.

She cried out eyes wide as saucers Garrett even putting a hand between her and his protégé "Whoa Kid, don't damage the merchandise".

Ward ignored him and hissed at her "What aren't we supposed to find?" She began to tremble "I don't know…"

"What aren't we supposed to find?" Ward pressed again, this time Garrett making no move to stop him.

She shook her head refusing to meet him in the eyes "He just said if I was hungry there is his stash of candy…"

Now Ward grabbed her chin in anger "You are an awful liar Agent Simmons, now what are you hiding or do we need to go ask Agent Fitz about it…the hard way…" Tears welled in her brown eyes and she looked desperately down the hall where he friend was being held. "He wanted me to make sure you hadn't found one of our prototypes" she whispered and looked away "it's hidden in the lab, we didn't get a chance to get it out before you took us from Providence".

Garrett's interest was piqued "Prototype?" he asked eagerly his eyes alight. She nodded as Ward released her and allowed her to wipe away her tears. She continued her trek to the lab where she couldn't help but freeze in the door, feeling as if their sanctuary had been violated with unfamiliar people and equipment. She felt a harsh poke in her back and entered pointing to the ceiling above the workstation "It's up there" she said defeated "You won't hurt him, I told you what you wanted, right?"

Garrett ignored her and motioned Ward up, on top of the bench he moved the grates away to find a case, much like the ones they kept their dwarves in. He pulled it out and he could practically see Garrett salivating as he imagined what could be inside. "What is it?" Grand asked.

She sniffed and opened it up revealing a small treasure trove of gadgets. Some like the ICER and Mouse hole he recognized while others looked new and seemed to be in various stages of design. "We are calling it a Jump Kit" she said "Agent Triplett gave us the idea when he was telling us about his Grandfather's Howling Commando's kit …its mean as an escape kit of sorts, little something for any occasion if an uncover mission goes wrong of if the top brass was someone in danger and needed to escape and lay low for a bit".

Garrett ran his hands reverently over the devices inside "Grant, have I mentioned you outdid yourself bringing these two too me…"

"Sir" one of the men said from the door "Headquarters is on the line and would like an update from you personally as to when we will be joining them…"

Garrett cursed wanting nothing more than to spend time with the marvelous new toy they had found, instead he now had to go waive the Hydra Flag for a big longer, at least until he got what he wanted. "Take this up to the lounge, Agent Fitz and I can go through it when I'm done. Agent Simmons, Flowers sent us everything she had and you'll find our current samples of the formula set up…I don't need to remind you of the consequences of failing to give me adequate results. Ward, you look like Hell, get some sleep".

Garrett strode out Ward not far behind with the kit "Ward" Simmons said timidly slipping on her own lab coat for what seemed to be the first time in ages. He stopped and gave her annoyed look more than ready to go collapse in his bunk for a few hours and let a few of the flunkies babysit her for a bit. Seeing she had his attention "Whose Flowers?" He groaned and just walked away.

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"AC, Are you sure?" Skye asked for the fifth time, her fingers hovering over the keys that would set the video in motion. They had surveyed the base and even clumsily sent the Dwarves in to ensure it was empty before heading in. The small devices another stark reminder of the gaping hole in their team.

It hadn't taken them long to find it, the camera sitting on a table clear as day next to two trackers and the tie Fitz had been wearing when they'd left the base. A simple note sitting on top of the camera…To Phil.

"I'm sure" Coulson said tightly bracing himself for whatever could be on there. Skye took a breath and hit play, the image appearing on a large screen in the room, Garrett's ugly face filling the screen as he turned the camera on. It was Coulson that gasped as he pulled away to reveal Fitz gagged and bound behind him, no sign of Ward or Simmons, possibly explaining why Fitz wasn't fighting back. He felt his breath hitch as this was the first time he'd seen Fitz since finding out the truth and it was like looking at him for the first time all over again.

 _"_ _Phil!" Garrett greeted as if greeting an old friend after years away "Let me be the first to congratulate you…It's a Boy!" Grabbing Fitz tightly by the back of the neck. "I think he has your eyes, don't you? He definitely has your spirit, sneaking trackers along….such a naughty boy…" At that point the grip on his neck shifting leaving Fitz gasping for air around the cloth, his bound hands uselessly trying to claw them away._

 _Garrett finally let him go leaving the engineer coughing his eyes still defiant and he sucked in great breaths. "But when his father hasn't been in the picture we can only expect him to act out. That was only the first part of your spectacular failure as a father….because you left him Phil…left him alone with a very very bad man…who brought him to me. So let's get down to business shall we. We both know Fury is still alive out there…that SOB has more lives than a cat. So who better to track him down that his favorite student and listen carefully because here's the deal Phil…" he paused suddenly wrenching Fitz's shoulder out of its socket leaving him screaming in pain, Garrett holding him up so he didn't fall from the view of the camera. "You have 72 hours to find the Director at that time I will contact you…if you don't have him for me by then, this…" gesturing to the writhing figure trying to stifle his screams "….This will be nothing compared to what I will do to him and his pretty little friend. And don't' get any ideas about calling your super powered friends for help either"._

 _Garrett then pulled the shoulder back in with a sickening pop, Fitz crying out again before he was pulled up so only his tear streaked face filled the screen. Fitz was trying to say something around the gag, and knowing the engineer it was something along the lines of don't do it. Garrett tossed him to the floor so he could have center stage again, eyes boring into the camera "You just found him Phil, you have no past, don't give up a future as well…"_

No one spoke letting what they had just seen sink in, Skye wiping away a tear that had leaked out as seeing her friend tortured. It was Coulson who gathered himself first, mind working rapidly at what to do next. "Show of hands, who thinks Fury is dead and we'd be wasting our time looking for him?" he asked first the trio staring back at him hands all down. "Great, we're all on the same page there. I think our best bet is to play along for now, even trade Fury for them…."

"He never said he would let them go" May said bluntly everyone's focus shifting. "He never said he'd let Fitz or Simmons go if we brought him Fury" she repeated "He said he wouldn't hurt them…"

Tripp replaying the conversation in his head "He never threatened to kill them either...its gruesome to say Sir but he can send you pieces and keep Fitz alive for a long time".

"He doesn't want Fury…he's playing with us…keeping us busy while he continues to use them against each other until he gets what he wants from them…I am at his mercy and when he is ready for me…I will go when he calls." Coulson finished rubbing his forehead reminded of why they had been hidden with him on the Bus in the first place. Though now knowing what he knew now, he was going to find an island somewhere in the middle of the ocean and keep Leo there, preferably guarded by the Avengers and a state of the art security system of the engineers own design. And a monkey, he was going to get his son that monkey he'd always wanted.

"But if we find Fury we can at least use him to find where Garrett's hiding them" Skye said "I know this is probably punishable by court martial to say but I will personally deliver Fury gift wrapped complete with a big red bow if it will even help a little in getting them back. So how do we find Fury?"

"Hill" May said simply now walking out the door mentally adding she'd sign the card to get those kids back "Wheels up in ten" she said disappearing. Tripp was steps behind her wanting to go through the cargo bay before they took off to see if there were any forgotten supplies they could take.

Coulson quietly gathered up the tie and trackers, fingers running over the small devices with a ghost of a smile. As the team leader he'd always been proud of his team's accomplishments, but the pride he felt as a father was on a whole other level. Skye closed her laptop and was disconnecting it from camera, resisting the urge to throw the offending device against the wall and never have to watch that again.

"Fitzsimmons is crazy smart and Fitzsimmons protecting each other is downright mad scientist smart" she said giving him a brief hug. "And I'm sure once Fury hears what's going on, he'll go along with it…he does kind of owe you for hiding Fitz from you all these years".

"Don't bet on it" Coulson said pocketing the devices and heading for the door himself "He'll say this is exactly why he did it…and he's right. I am about to hunt down the Director of Shield and am more than willing to turn him over to Hydra if it means saving him…them. It's a huge liability that was exploited as soon as it was discovered".

Skye felt her heart break, having spent the better part of her life looking for her own family she couldn't imagine what it would be like to find out like they had or to be placed in such a terrible situation right after. "AC" she said stopping him "You said yourself they were a target before we found out, Garrett was going to take him from the Hub even before…Ward…Ward would have taken them regardless…I'll bet he would have taken me if you'd left me there. Love is not a liability…only something as evil as Hydra would exploit it".

He offered her a small smile, for a moment the girl reminding him so much of May and the calming presence she had on him. "Thanks Skye" he said starting off down the hall again, Skye stopping him one last time "Hey AC!" she called and he turned again "He does have your eyes".

To Be Continued…


	5. Deception

AN: Love all the follows, favs, and reviews! Keep em coming! I am always open to suggestions as to what you would like to see happen. Have to say this is one of my favorite chapters so far so hope you enjoy it!

Maria Hill was not in a good mood, not at all. Ever since Shield's collapsed she had been forced to hide behind Tony Stark's army of lawyers while dealing with the impudent children known as Congress. This was the last thing she needed to be doing right now, sitting in a hearing answering questions…the same questions every freaking day, all the while Fury and her friends fought Hydra. Her chest tightened at the thought of them, she had no idea who had made it out and who had all turned, so many of them had gone off grid in the days following the fall.

She narrowed her eyes at the standard issue tail team that had been following her, all of them just trying too hard to fit into their roles for the night. She pulled out her phone ready to vent to Pepper for a little bit, one of the few people she could talk freely too right now when she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Lowering her phone she looked around again, this time finding her tail team all on the ground unconscious.

Cursing she pulled her gun and began to run, she was not in the mood to deal with an assassination attempt from Hydra right now. She ducked into a nearby ally, a figure dropping silently from the fire escape right in front of her.

She was seconds from firing when she recognized the unarmed figure, her weapon dropping instantly and embracing her in a hug "May" she said "Thank God you're alive! Coulson? Did he make it out too? Where the hell have you all been?"

May wanted to answer all of her questions but they didn't have long before Hill's handlers figured something was up. "Our team made it out" she said "We've were at Providence before it was compromised".

"Providence compromised?" Hill said surprised only a handful, literally a handful of people knew about that base. It was one of Fury's most secure and best equipped secret base. Then she saw it, the look on her old friend's face "Who?" she demanded "Who was it?"

"Ward, Ward was working for John Garrett all along" May all out hissed her knuckles tightening. Hill let out another curse. Something about Garrett had always rubbed her the wrong way, the chauvinistic pig less than pleased with her position by Fury's side and had made it known, relentless in insinuating she had slept her way to the top. But Grant Ward, "I vetted him!" she seethed "Oh please tell me you killed him for it".

The Calvary shook her head "Garrett baited Coulson out, sent Daniels after Aubrey Nathan….and we left the base to go stop Daniels. Ward took Fitzsimmons from the base and killed Koeing". Maria could only run a frustrated hand through her hair sensing there was so much more to the story. "Look, long story short Garrett wants Fury in exchange for not harming them…"

"He's dead" Hill snapped automatically but May was not deterred "…Maria, Garrett found out about Coulson and Fitz…"

Fury's second in command looked at her in shock, her knee jerk reaction to deny it, but the look in her friends eyes wouldn't allow it. One of Fury's deepest, darkest secrets out in the open "How could you? How could you both hide that from Phil of all people, he deserved to know! Fitz deserved to know!"

She couldn't defend it offering a feeble "He was protecting…" Fury never giving her the reason for not telling him, and May continued her attack "Bullshit! This was Fury hoarding his secrets and one wasn't his to keep. And so help me you will help me get those kids out of there and Fitz back to his father or I swear Congress will be the least of your worries…now where is Fury?"

Maria had been threated before, faced down Gods and Monsters alike, but those had nothing on an angry Melinda May. She didn't back down, she still needed to protect her boss, do her duty "And if I could give him up does it stop there?!" she demanded "You didn't say it was a prisoner exchange, your just buying them time. Hydra has found a weakness and will continue to exploit it. So whose next after you give up Fury? Will they have you doing attacks for them? Bringing in gifteds? Or the Avengers? We can't play this game with them…no matter who they have…I'm sorry May, Fury's dead".

Coulson emerged from the shadow's Maria briefly raising her gun to the new arrival before dropping it back down. Her resolve nearly waivered at the look in his eyes, determined and full of fire. "I know the protocol" he said "I helped write it". It never ceased to amaze her how calm he was, not matter the situation. "If you could pass along a message for me…"

"I told you Fury's dead"

He offered a polite smile "To most of the world so am I, all I ask is you give him this" he said pulling out a flash drive. It contained the Garrett's ransom video and instructions for tracking him down when he was ready to help. "I will take Garrett down, I will take Hydra down, I will get my son…my family back, because let's face it they'll get their act together eventually and Simmons's will be as good as my daughter. I would appreciate it if the man I died for was willing to help, considering he hid my own son from me for God knows how long".

Hill looked down the distant sound of sirens approaching, the pair beginning to depart "And Maria, perhaps you should remind him of what those two have contributed to Shield and what they are going to be forced to contribute to Hydra….Garrett is on the run with them now but eventually he'll get them to a base with a lab…neither of you want to be responsible for that kind of destruction".

With that they melted into the shadows Hill looking at her watch as they cops pulled up guns drawn. "4 Minutes 34 Seconds guys! Really!" she snapped "If you had been my team you would be anymore…"

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By nature Leopold Fitz was a patient man, the field he working was in demanding it as he solved problems and created new inventions, everyone a long process of trial and error. And now his patience was paying off. His plan with Simmons had worked like a dream, she whispering just loud enough to rouse Ward's super hearing as Skye called it. Not ten minutes after she'd been taken to the lab did Ward return and drop the case on the table in front of him.

"She's a terrible liar you know that, think about that before you tell her to get the escape kit you guys are making" He sneered. "Garrett will be down soon, do be a good boy and answer all of his questions, he so does love your toys" before disappearing to where the bunks were. Leaving Fitz alone with just one guard. The guard had eyed the box with curiosity, especially after hearing Garrett himself would be going through the contents.

He'd shown appropriate shock and anger seeing the case brought in before settling down and waiting, making sure to pass timid glances at it every so often. "Excuse me…um Comisky is it?" Fitz asked putting a fearful waiver in his voice.

The young Hydra agent glared back at up tightening his grip on his weapon "You were in the bathroom not long ago so if you need to go again you'll just have to hold it".

"Not it's not that" Fitz said holding up his handcuffed wrist, revealing a bit of raw red skin beneath. "I've been like this for ages do you think it could come off?" he asked hopefully. Comisky to his credit looked at him if he'd just turned into the Hulk "Do you think I'm stupid?!" he demanded angrily.

 _Yes_ , Fitz though shrinking back into the seat, putting on a good show of terrified prisoner, no doubt building the young man's ego. "No" he stammered "look you don't have to release me….just maybe change wrists for me…it's awfully uncomfortable…" Again the man looked at him skeptically and Fitz continued "I swear I won't try anything funny…I mean it would just be stupid to do that…your so much bigger and better equipped than me….and my girl…you guys have my girl in another part of the plane I swear I'd never do anything to risk her…please…".

Comisky looked at him and finally growled "Fine" He said pulling a key from inside of his vest. "But I swear if you try anything…"

"I won't" Fitz said as he approached, first unlocking the end attached to the wall and moving it to the other size. He was forced to sit with his arm pulled across his chest before he felt the pressure release from his battered wrist. He couldn't help but sigh in relief and had to resist the urge to rub it until after he was secure once more. Once the Hydra Agent had back away he did flexing it and moving his fingers, trying to get the feeling back into them.

"Thank you" Fitz said sincerely letting silence hang for a few moments "Hey, I owe you one" he said peering down the hall and checking the stairs leading to Coulson's office "Let me thank you properly…there's some money in a hidden compartment in there a few thousand at least, it's all yours if you want it…no one will even know it's gone".

He could see the man's quick internal debate, if you could even call it that, more him checking to make sure no one was coming before going over and opening the case. He looked at the devices in distain not seeing the value. "Where?" he demanded.

"There is a tiny tab on the left hand corner of the lid, pull it back" Fitz instructed. He complied and pulled the lining away reveling another compartment, this on lined with the stack of cash, passports, various fake ID's, a few gemstones, and a shiny gold watch. Comisky looked at the stash greedily, thumbing through it while peering around one last time before taking the stack of cash and stuffing it inside his vest.

Fitz willed his greed to get the better of him, the gold from the watch practically dancing in his eyes. "What does the watch do?" he asked. "Oh that?" Fitz said casually "It had two purpose barter and an EMP". The agent looked at him with a raised eyebrow, having no clue what and EMP was. "Look there are places where an agent might be where money isn't a good enough currency…so we placed some more valuable items in there that could be used for barter…I said just the money leave it…".

Comisky ignored him and took it was well, sealing the compartment and shutting the case, and it once again looked undisturbed. Fitz glowered at him "You need to put that back it's worth…"

The agent was on him in a second "It's mine now! Now keep your mouth shut or I'll tell them I caught you trying to pick the locks….Garrett will for sure take it out on your girlfriend…"

"No" Fitz said in a panic "It's yours…don't say anything…please". The agent backed off, taking a moment to set the correct time before rolling the sleeve of his uniform back down to hide it as he resumed his post. Fitz settled back, pretending to sulk Comisky looking smug as ever as he stood guard, he had no idea long he had until it went off and he could only hope the solider was standing by something that would do some damage when the time came.

Garrett came down the stairs not long after, grumbling to himself before lighting up when he saw the case and his captive. "Sneaky Kid" he said wasting no time sitting down next to Fitz and pulling the coffee table so everything was laid out before him. "Daddy would be proud but like attempt number one you failed. Ward saw right through her pathetic little act".

Fitz glared and tried to pull away as Garrett wrapped his arm around him "Now, you go through the box with me, tell me what all these little toys do and how to work them, and I'll let Agent Simmons join you until we land. Give you both a chance to rest, snuggle, whatever the hell you want".

"No catches" Fitz asked feebly "You'll leave us alone until we land"

Garrett smiled knowing defeat when he saw it "You have my word Kid". Fitz nodded and bit his lip "Fine" he said his voice barely above a whisper.

"Okay, so what does this little beauty do?" he said happily pulling out the first thing he could get his hands on.

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Hundreds of miles away Skye sat on their jet, Tripp was in the cockpit ready to take off at the first sign of trouble. Her laptop was open in her lap, eyes heavy as she fought to keep them open. She had been passing the time waiting for Coulson and May to return scanning frequencies for any sign of Hydra. And while they were getting bolder and she was getting snippets, nothing on her missing friends.

Slowly the darkness crept up on her, her fingers slowing, head dropping, a deafening screech from the device in her lap sending her out of her seat and onto the floor. Instinctively she clutched it to protect it from damage heart racing in her chest.

Tripp appeared seconds later, a gun in each hand ready to shoot any threat his own eyes wide in shock.

"What is that?" He demanded pointing to the screeching coming from her computer.

She finally looked at the screen, her jaw dropping at what she saw. A map of the world with a dot blaring in red on the screen. "Those two are freaking genius!" She shouted turning it around for him to see. His own jaw dropped "Is that? I thought they said it wasn't working, something about the paper interfering with the wiring" he asked unable to hid a smile

"Yes!" she said fingers flying with a renewed passion "It's the money wad tracker from the kit we were making for AC….we did the test of the tracker on my laptop just the other day…before well before our lives crashed down on us…we never got a chance to tell you about it….but look, they activated it!"

"Activated what?" Coulson asked suddenly appearing with May. And with delight she turned the screen to them, Tripp running to the cock pit and May following. She didn't need to ask why, if they were taking off there was a good reason.

"Fitzsimmons!" she said happily "They activated another tracker…we were making a surprise for you…we were jokingly calling it a Father's Day gift but I guess it really is for Fitz now…"

"Skye" Coulson said as no one had explained what was going on yet.

Skye pointed at the screen excitedly "That is where the Bus is! That is where Fitzsimmons is! We found them!"

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Ward lay awake in his bunk enjoying a few moments to himself. Outside he could hear the plane beginning to wake up, Garrett's men moving around some joking and laughing. It all felt so out of place, him being back here with what could only be called strangers in their space.

It was dangerous to think of the Bus and "Their Space", he was never really part of the team, rather a carefully concealed wolf that had attacked when the time was right. Sighing in frustration he got up and began to get ready for the day, trying to force down whatever was gnawing at his stomach. He refused to think it was anything attuned to guilt, this was the mission from the beginning, get in earn their trust, do not get attached.

He entered the bustling hall, again struck by how out of place all the Hydra agents were. Coming into the lounge he was surprised to see Garrett sitting with Fitz, the coffee table covered with the contents of the case, Fitz looking exhausted but patiently explaining to Garrett what they did. The look on Garrett's face was pure joy as he looked at the small device adoringly, hanging on Fitz's every word. A new emotion bubbled within Ward…jealousy.

"How long have they been at that?" he asked the guard, Comisky, quietly.

"All night sir" he answered wearily "Between you and me….I can't wait until my shift is over I'm exhausted just watching them over there and I can't believe the kid hasn't dropped yet"

"He's tougher than he looks" Ward replied without thinking heading over to the pair. It was only when he got closer did he see the extent of Fitz's exhaustion, the dark circles under his eyes and slight waiver in his voice, realizing that he hadn't slept since being brought aboard yesterday.

"Grant!" Garrett said showing no signs of slowing down, mostly likely thanks to his Centipede enhancements "Come sit, we have a few more items in here to go through and then you can go fetch the girl, Agent Fitz here has definitely earned his reward". Ward obeyed, Fitz seeming to brighten slightly at the mention of getting to see Simmons again.

"Sir, what did Headquarters want?" he asked needing at least know where they were going. He had felt the plane change direction before falling asleep. Garrett waived his hand dismissively, he didn't want to be talking Hydra right now, "Just and update on our mission, they know we have the assets and want them brought in as soon as possible. I told them we were avoiding Shield and were going to stay airborne for at least 72 hours…well we'll stop to refuel of course but gas and go".

Ward groaned, sure the plane was big and he'd lived on it for months…however they rarely were in the air that long continually nor with this many people. Garrett heard the groan "You think I want to be on this tin can that long?" he shot hated the confining feeling before wrapping his arm around Fitz. As he always did, the engineer tried to pull away looked utterly repulsed. John paid not heed "But someone's daddy was spotted in DC last night, we think talking to Hill about Fury".

Hill, she was another one he'd need to make sure to steer clear of in the future. Fury's right hand who had personally vetted him…she would not take his betrayal lightly.

"Fury's dead" Fitz said "I heard it myself when Agent May called his direct line". Part of him was grateful to hear the others were okay and looking for them though another crestfallen that they were trying to meet the demands.

"You keep thinking that Kid but I guarantee he's found himself a nice little rock to hide under…." A soft beeping interrupting him. "What the hell is that?" Garrett demanded looking at the items before him to see if any of them had been activated.

Grant looked around as well, it was nothing from the normal Bus systems, following the sound and found that it was coming from Comisky, the agent looking positively petrified yet staying at attention. Garrett followed his gaze before advancing on the agent "Your beeping" he said and Ward saw the man shake before shooting a look at Fitz.

Slowly Comisky rolled up his sleeve to reveal a gold watch. Initially Ward though it might be one of Coulson's trinkets though it was far too flashy and new to be his. Again he shot a threatening look at the engineer "Fitz, what is it?" Ward asked.

Fitz wrapped his arms around himself "He took it from the kit…I told him not too…but he said he'd hurt Jemma if I said anything…" Garrett raised an eyebrow and held out his hand, Comisky taking it off and dropping it into his outstretched hand. He whistled going to turn off the alarm "So Kid what does this one do?"

It happened in the same instant, Fitz's answer and Garrett activating the device by trying to turn off the alarm "It's an EMP…"

There was no time to stop him, Grant watching in horror as the blue pulse emitted from the device, every electronic device in the room going down and Garrett dropping to the floor writhing in pain.

"You little wretch" Comisky cried pulling his gun and launching himself at Fitz, a single shot ringing out, and the overzealous agent dropping to the ground, dead before he hit the floor, Ward lowering his gun and running to Garret's side.. Fitz cried out and tried to pull away further, kept in place by the handcuff on his wrist.

Ward didn't give the body a second look as he kneeled at Garrett's side, men pouring in at the sound of gunshots. "Get him to the lab! Now!" He bellowed, no one daring to question him. "It's okay John, I'll have Simmons get you patched up". Garrett just gasped pulling up his shirt to reveal the armor hiding the Centipede components below.

It was Fitz's turn to gasp seeing the devices, realizing with a start Garrett needed him for himself not the super soldiers they had been building. Ward continued issuing orders as the men gathered their leader up,

"Change course for Cybertek…"

"No!" Garrett ground out forcing the men trying to carry him out to stop "Too dangerous, Hydra will take our assets...head for Salvation…its equipped…we're close"

Ward nodded hesitantly having to trust his SO, John pulled one of the men down and whispered the coordinates into his ear, the man running off to tell the pilot…Ward would have to cross them both off later…but right now he needed Garrett to survive the trip. With a nod they began to help him down to the lab, Ward turning his attention to Fitz, still curled up looking at the dead Comisky on the floor.

"Come on" Ward hissed, undoing the cuffs and hauling him to his feet a thought suddenly coming to him "Damn it!" He cursed pinning Fitz against the wall "This was your plan all along! You wanted us to find the kit!"

"You should know better than anyone not to underestimate us" Fitz hissed back "We are going to fight you every step of the way". Ward couldn't help it as fury and frustration overwhelmed him, driving his fist into Fitz's stomach. "You have no idea what you've done!" he shouted.

Fitz gasped "It was your own man who got greedy and took it, I told him exactly that it was, I told him not to take it, and he wasn't smart enough to know the danger". Ward slapped him across the face this time and began dragging him to the lab. When they arrived the room was in chaos, Garrett laying pale on the table while his men all shouting a terrified Simmons to do something.

"Enough!" Ward roared and the room fell deathly silent all eyes on him. "Everyone that doesn't have a PHD, get out. We will be landing soon, anyone who is not ready to depart will be shot". The men quickly filed out leaving Simmons, Garrett, Fitz, and Ward alone.

Ward adjusted his hold onto Fitz neck, his eyes wild from rage, the Berserker Staff making its presence known as the man he saw as a father lay dying before him. His voice was now low and came out as an animalistic growl, any semblance of the guilt he'd been feeling gone, "The Centipede components have been what's keeping him alive for years and he was hit with an EMP, his body is shutting down".

Simmons nodded her eyes fixed on Fitz. "I'll make it simple…if he dies…so does Fitz here, I will snap his neck right in front of you and leave his body to rot in your cell. I don't care who he is! Coulson will still deal for you." Garrett let out a grunt trying to contradict the order.

"Jemma no" Fitz begged "I'm not worth it, let him die".

She shook her head picking up her tools and beginning to work. "Ward…I'll try…the damage to his organs is extensive…it seems even with the enhancements they were failing".

"If he dies Lover Boy dies" Ward repeated.

A tear fell and she continued to work, injecting what she could trying to stabilize his levels. After a dose of adrenaline, Garrett grabbed her hand tightly "Use it" he said. She knew what he was referring too, "I wasn't finished, it might not work…it could kill you…"

"I'm dead if you don't" he rasped out "For your little friend's sake do it". She gave a nervous glace to Ward, Fitz's face now borderline blue and his struggles weak from lack of oxygen. Ward nodded his own consent.

She pulled the sample of the blue liquid and drew it into a needle, not even sure if it was the correct dosage. Garrett pried open a component and the eerie Amber glow illuminated her face. Fitz let out a strangled gasp as Ward tightened his grip and she plunged the needle into the sack. For a few terrible seconds nothing happened, Garrett's body suddenly violent convulsing against the table, the amber light now engulfing his entire body. Warning alarms blared as he levels skyrocketed out of control.

Jemma tried to restrain him to stop him from injuring himself, his arm catching her across the chest and sending her small form crashing into the counter behind her before she fell to the floor covered in glass and chemicals. Ward let Fitz go, he falling down as well barely conscious, "Jemma" he whispered. Though it was quiet she heard it and crawled along the floor to him, pulling him to her and rubbing his chest, trying to help him breath.

Ward ignored them, throwing himself on Garrett struggling to hold him still with the violent tremors. As suddenly as they started they stopped, his entire body suddenly going limp on the table, the monitors all showing a flat line. Grant stared in disbelief, "No…John!" he shouted shaking him. There was no response and his head fell in defeat his fury turning once again to the scientists huddled on the floor.

Jemma's eyes were wide in terror Fitz still barely conscious as she wrapped him up in her arms "Ward no, please! I tried!" Ward reaching down for Fitz as she tried to shield her friend "Not good enough!" he growled. He was just about to grab the kids neck when Garrett sat up, sucking in a great breath of air, Jemma screaming and Grant even jumping in surprise a gun training on him out of habit.

They sat stunned, Garrett risen from the dead looking down at his body in marvel, as if seeing it in a new light. "John?" Ward questioned "How do you feel?" Garrett's eyes were wild as he looked from his captives to his protégé "I feel the Universe!"

Jemma pulled Leo tighter to her and trying to shrink away from the imposing form now heading right for them.

To Be Continued….


	6. Sacrifice

AN: Happy weekend! Extra long chapter for you today, just couldn't find a good place to stop. I have a few ideas for a sequel rolling around in my head and was curious if anyone wanted to see it. Ever more so let me know what you would like to see. Thank you for the great support and enjoy!

The forest was thick and dense, the trees blocking out even the moonlight leaving the small team trudging through an almost unearthly darkness. Tripp lead, an ICER rifle in his hands, Skye close behind, the glow of her tablet the only illumination they dared allow themselves. On its screen the tracker still pulsed, coming to rest a few miles from their current location. "Hold up here" Coulson said as they came to a small clearing not needing to see their faces to see the disappointment.

Skye however voiced it "AC, we are so close" she said pointing to the screen. He set his pack down and broke a single green glow stick to offers the faintest amount of light. "I know, that's why we need to stop, the last thing we want to do right now is to run into a Hydra Base half-cocked". May and Tripp followed suit removing their packs Skye looking as if they'd betrayed her. "We need to be careful, if they see us coming they might hurt them…" he added and she finally plopped to the ground in defeat.

"Fine" she shot pulling up another program "But that means I'm get to try to hack into their system now". Coulson just nodded forgetting how hard it was to see him in the low light having planned on her doing that anyway "See if you can get into the security cameras and if we can get some eyes in there".

"Tripp you said you'd been here once before?" Coulson asked now that she was busy.

"Yeah" he said "About a year ago we stopped here and laid low for a few days after and op went bad…he said it was one that Fury let him use…pretty sure that was a load of bull now. It's a lot like the last one, carved into a mountain, lots of tunnels. As I thought it was Fury's I didn't think it was a good idea to go poking around too much".

"We still have 30 hours until the deadline" May said "This could be where he decided to hunker down". Though it had been odd, in the time since they had been track it the Bus had seemed to be flying aimlessly often changing course or heading nowhere in particular, then suddenly making a hard turn and a b line for their current destination.

"Or they figured out they activated another tracker and dumped it here" Tripp added hating to take any hope from them right now. "No" Skye said firmly "Someone…well a lot of someone's is there, there is too much activity and too much security for it to be abandoned…what the hell?!" she cried out as the screen on her pad changed, the Shield symbol appearing on it with the words…Level 8 secure transmission…below it.

Everyone was at her side instantly "It's a one way transmission" Coulson said "One of Shield's emergency channels mean to go out not in…maybe someone else is out there that can help us" entering his access code. Garrett's face appearing on the screen, flashing back to the original ransom video. This time he seemed to be chatting casually with someone off screen "Sir, he's on" Wards voice said.

"Phil!" he said waiving at the camera, every one of them picking up on a change in his voice, it was almost more…unhinged…than before. "First major kudos for picking up so quickly, you must be so worried right now. I know you can't answer me, not that you would, though I am very curious as to where you are. My spies haven't spotted you since DC and your chat with Hill…what did Fury's best gal refuse to give up her sugar daddy?"

"Sir" Ward warned "There are possibly other Level 8's even 9's out there they could come on at any time…"

Garrett looked annoyed but it was enough to get him back on track "Right we're threatening now…hey listen Phil we've had to make change in plans. I know I said I wanted Fury, but I realized not matter who we kill and how much we torture him or anyone else for that matter, he will not give me anything. So instead, I want you. You will give me everything I need because it's really in your boys best interest. You see, he and his little girlfriend aren't doing too well…" As he spoke he moved away revealing Fitzsimmons on the floor of the communications room, unconscious, ugly purple bruises livid against their pale skin. May cursed in Chinese and Garrett continued the camera moving up close on them "There was a little accident after they tricked one of my men into using an EMP, clever little buggers they are. Anyway…I may have lost my temper and roughed them up a bit and that was after Agent Fitz spent an extended period of time barely breathing and Agent Simmons has some lovely chemical burns from being tossed into a table full of them…damn it Ward wake him up we worked hard on that special message and he's passed out again".

The tablet shook in Coulson's hands "Please don't" he whispered to himself as Ward appeared and roughly shook Fitz awake, Fitz trying to pull away as soon as he eyes were open, trying feebly to pull himself in front of Simmons. "Leo…come on…now is not the time to have stage fright…Daddy's watching…" Coulson could see his stubborn nature, the look that often came when he sparred with Simmons over something, the look he got when he wanted to fight something.

There was a few moments of silence, a sad look at his battered partner, before he focused on the camera "Da'" he rasped "please come, help us…we….we can't take much more of this" a grimace now appearing "We're not strong enough".

"Well done" Garrett said coming back into view, wrapping his arm around Fitz's throat and hauling him closer "Ward will be waiting for you at these coordinates in 24 hours…come…and come alone". The transmission ended and the tablet tumbled from his hands to the ground.

"Phil…" May started trying to place a comforting hand on his arm, he pulled away from it.

"We head towards the base at dawn" he said in a tone that left no room for argument "I want all three of you to get some sleep, I'll take the first watch and wake May in a few hours".

"Let me take the first watch…" Tripp offered "you really need some sleep Sir, I have something I can give you to help you relax a bit".

Now that their eyes had adjusted to the faint light he shook his head again "There is no way I can sleep now" he said his eyes looking even more haunted in the green light. "I promise, I'll sleep in a few hours, just give me a bit to calm down".

The still were hesitant all worried about their friends and leader "Leo and Jemma are going to need you at your best, please" the use of their first names hitting a cord. Skye was the first to move, giving Coulson a hug before situating herself on the ground, using her pack as a pillow. Tripp and May followed suite.

"Three hours" May said in her own authoritative tone.

"Three hours" He agreed.

They laid down Coulson watching them as he paced the clearing, gathering his thoughts and formalizing his next step. He was done chasing, done letting them suffer, and he was going to get them back no matter the personal cost. After an hour he slowed and stopped above each of the slumbering trio, ensuring each one of them was asleep. May was the one he was the most concerned about, she could operate on the least amount of sleep and would be determined to keep an eye on him. But he knew her, been with her on enough ops to know when she was faking it and right now she definitely asleep, exhaustion finally catching up with even her. He looked over their peaceful faces for a moment before pulling up his ICER "I'm so sorry…" he whispered firing 3 quick successive shots, each one hitting home before their eyes could even open. "But I'm not strong enough to let them suffer any longer" he said gathering up the tablet and pulling up the tracking program, disappearing into the night.

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Garrett released Fitz roughly as they closed the feed, the young agent struggling and failing to stay on his feet. "It won't work" he insisted still defiant as he tried to push himself back up "The others will never let him come alone".

"We shall see about that" Garrett mused looking down at his captives "Pretty sure we have good old Phil pretty upset by now. Now what should we do with you two in the meantime?"

"I swear by all that is holy you will pay for this" Fitz said finding his fire. Garrett raised his hand to slap him, Ward grabbing the wrist before it could connect.

Ward held tight "Sir, you couldn't stop last time you started" he warned "and we need them alive or you'll get nothing from Coulson…or Fitz for that matter". Fitz was in shock, was Ward of all people coming to his aid? Garrett started at him a bit longer before lowering his arm with a growl. "Take them to a cell, your right I'll need them alive and ready to scream when you get back with Phil. And Leo your precious Jemma has done what I needed her for, I have the serum…and while I would appreciate her talents in future endeavors…she is now 100% expendable to me if it means teaching you some respect".

Garrett strode out of the room and Grant let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Ever since John had had the serum he'd become even more volatile and unpredictable. Attacking the scientists after his recovery, killing his own men for not moving fast enough, and now the abrupt change in plans. "Thank you" Fitz said quietly "for not letting him hurt me…more…."

Ward had to look away, the look in the Kids eyes starkly reminding him of Buddy for a moment. He brushed it aside and moved to gather up Simmons, Fitz's gratitude evaporating as he placed himself in front of her "Do not touch her" he growled.

"Just how is she supposed to get back to the cell then?" Ward asked exasperated, again that little glimmer disappearing as fast as it had come. And as had had many times Leo Fitz managed to surprise Grant Ward, the battered engineer pulling himself up and gathering Simmons into his arms. Pain was etched across his features and his knees shook from the effort, but he stayed upright and even began to shuffle forward.

Despite the fact it would take them ages to get there he allowed it, not in the mood to fight the kid or have to knock him unconscious again. The base was busy as they moved through the halls, many of the men settling in and a fresh group of agents loyal to Garrett arriving hours before. They all steered clear of Ward and the prisoners, Comisky's fate spreading like wildfire among the men.

Ward took the long way to the cells, adding extra turns and moving up and down in the elevator a few times, not taking any chances with these two at this point. They were the only prisoners at the moment and like the cage on the bus it offered the basics of a standard prison cell. Someone had already left some food, water, and basic first aid supplies. He motioned Fitz inside unable to take his eyes away as he gently laid her on the bed before collapsing to the ground next to it panting. She stirred slightly whispering his name, to which he responded with a tender kiss in comfort.

 _Oh Hell_ , Ward thought as the scene before him sweet enough to rot his teeth right then and there. Closing the door and preparing to walk out "Why?" Fitz's voice called back gently stroking Simmons's hair "Why are you doing this?" It wasn't a question, more of a plea. "Garrett is clearly losing it, first turning on Shield and now it appears Hydra…you need to think about yourself Grant, get out before he can take you down with him".

It was far too late, that ship had sailed the second he pulled the trigger on Hand, even more so when he dragged the two before him away from the safety of Providence and Coulson and into the desperate power grab that was going on around him. "I owe him everything" Grant said again, just like last time he asked only this time Fitz was able to respond. "You don't" he countered "and one day you will wake up and realize your own soul is worth fighting for".

"Your just trying to protect Coulson and Jemma, trick me again into letting you out…"

"Of course I am trying to save them you idiot" Fitz shot back Ward sensing he needed to have ended this conversation long ago "My father, who I just bloody found out about, and the woman I love are being tortured by a bloody psychopath and someone we though was our friend…our protector! God only knows what he'll do once he has Coulson…what he's going to try to make us all do".

Ward turned on his heel to leave "What would you do if it was different?" Fitz asked pressing on making Ward wish he had knocked him out again. "What if Garrett had had you bring in Skye instead of us? What would you do to protect her? To save her?" He froze hand hovering above the keypad, he'd never admit it but he had been terrified Garrett would go after her again, wanting her blood to test or he'd be after the contents of the hard drive she'd locked. Ward relieved he'd chosen to take the sources of the information he needed rather than where it was stored.

"Damn it Ward I'm trying to save you too!" Fitz shouted in frustration. "I don't know what hell that man put you through to get you to follow him like this but you do not deserve it…be the man that we knew…be the man that Skye…"

Ward held up his hand to silence him and entering the code to open the door, his dark eyes that had been marred in confusion and doubt just a few moments ago had regained their steely intensity "That man never existed, he was a character I played to get what Garrett wanted, you need to accept that". With that he left the door bolting shut leaving them alone in the prison.

Fitz slumped back from the excursion, Jemma's gentle hands guiding him up onto the bed with her "Well done" She said wincing as she moved "I thought you had him there for a moment, when you brought up Skye". She had been faking since they arrived in the communications rooms, keeping herself out of the equation and allowing Fitz to work on Ward alone for the first time since they had been put on the Bus. Their plan was desperate but at the moment the only straw they could grasp at.

"I did too" Fitz said eyeing the supplies they had been left over on the table yet not having any energy left to go get them. Simmons followed his line of site went to get the tray, pushing him back as he tried to follow "You've done enough". She sighed in relief seeing salve for her burns and antibiotics, though having those meant once again that Garrett had no plans of releasing them anytime soon.

"May and the others, they won't let him come alone right?" Fitz asked quietly rubbing the salve on her back, hoping a change of clothes would be provided soon as the back of her shirt was in tatters, he shuttered to think what would have happened if she hadn't been wearing her lab coat.

She sighed in both relief and pain "No they won't let him come alone" she assured part of her out of her mind terrified what would happen to Fitz in order to ensure Coulson's compliance. "I am more concerned about him sneaking away from them, he gave himself up without question for Ace and that was right under our noses…to save you…I'd bet he'd risk drugging them or something… For all we know they are closing in. I assume the tracker from the kit is still operating, even if someone found the money on the body they would still have it…" not finishing her thought.

He closed the salve and took the painkillers she offered, allowing her to ease him down onto the bed. He groaned as his entire body echoed in pain, his efforts catching up with him as the adrenaline wore off. "Sleep now my sweet hero" she said kissing him softly before laying her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her protectively. "We'll come up with escape plan..D…yes we're on D tomorrow" he muttered exhaustion claiming them both within minutes.

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The sun was just beginning to crest the horizon as Phil Coulson stood just inside the tree line watching the door of the base as the guards paced along its entrance. For a secret base Garrett didn't seem overly concerned about hiding it with bright floodlights illuminating the fading night. The Bus had been left in the only place available, parked in the clearing that surrounded the mountain in plain sight. He'd gone over his plan a million times on the way here, debating whether he should wait a bit longer until Ward set off to collect him, the coordinates for a town miles away, but by then the ICER's will have worn off and the others…and they will be less than pleased with him when they wake up and find him gone. May was going to hunt him down for the honor of killing him herself. An honor he would allow her once his son was safe.

And with that he took a deep breath and walked right into the middle of the clearing, the guards all catching site with him in seconds, their weapons leveling at him. "You're on private property" one shouted "Keep moving".

Coulson stood calmly "I am Agent Philip Coulson of Shield and I believe you have a few things that belong to me….I want them back…now". It was a ploy he's used many times before, and he prayed it worked for him this time. He could hear muttering no doubt in disbelief that someone that high up in Shield would just walk up to their base like this, alone and no weapons drawn.

The large doors opened a couple of minutes later, Garrett leading a flank of men out to greet him. He had a toothy smile on his face "Well that was quick" he said motioning two of them forward to seize him and take his weapons. Coulson didn't resist allowing them to strip them all away, John taking the tablet with the tracking software still up "Damn those kids are good, the watch as well I take it?" he said dropping it to the ground and crushing it under his boot. Skye was going to be pretty upset about that.

"Tripp said it was in the money actually, he's looking forward to seeing you again by the way" Coulson answered easily his hands now bound before him. Garrett narrowed his eyes, "someone search the plane and Comisky's body again….look for money and burn it" he ordered a small group running to the plane.

Turing his attention back to Coulson he motioned them all back inside "You have quiet the pair Phil, I'll give you that, so where are Agent May and the others? Lurking in the bushes? Coming in through the vents"

"They aren't here" he said truthfully not needing Garrett to dispatch his men into the forest right now. "We parted ways after DC. Agent May felt I was compromised and not thinking straight, insisting that Fury was dead and I needed to work on rallying Shield rather than tracking down two people". He hated saying that about his friend but Garrett had witnessed the tension between them before the Hub.

"Even if one of those is your son?" Garrett asked with a raised eyebrow.

Coulson nodded "She said Shield's future was more important, that it was what both of them would have wanted".

"And what do you want Phil?" Garrett asked leading the way through the twists and turns.

"Fitz and Simmons safe and Hydra eradicated from the face of the earth…but I'm not greedy I'll start with the kids and go from there" he said simply. "I'll give you whatever you want John, codes, locations, names, anything…but you need to let them go first…have Ward take them to the drop point so Shield can find them".

Garrett clapped him on the back "I like you Coulson, you are a pain in my ass, but I like you. So tell me why on earth would I let them go, it's the only guarantee I have that you will continue to cooperate. Besides I don't think it would be fair to separate you two again, not when you're so close to being reunited with your son…well for the first time since finding out he's your son".

"You have my word I'll cooperate, I won't try to escape, you said it yourself I'm a good man and good men don't lie" Coulson said his tone still even as if they were talking about the weather. Ward suddenly appearing at the end of the hall, panting as he seemed to have run from somewhere in the facility. He looked to his former leader unable to hide his shock. He needed to see it for himself, overhearing on the comms that Coulson had literally walked right up to their door and surrendered.

"Ward" he greeted with a nod "I see being a traitor has agreed with you".

That hurt, Ward would never admit it but it did. "Sir, you need to send some men out to search, there is no way in Hell Agent May or Skye for that matter would have let him come, they have to be right behind him".

Garrett's mood changed in an instant going from jovial too dangerous in a matter of seconds "Don't you think I now that!" he roared, the men flinching and even Ward taking a step back. "I sent a team out as soon as we came in, if his pathetic ragtag bunch is out there, they will find them!" Garret took a few moments to calm himself before speaking again. "Ward, take Phil down to the cell block, I think he's waited long enough for this reunion…and do make it good…I'll be watching".

Coulson's façade finally cracking as his eyes narrowed "You are really a psychopath, just let them go they are of no further use to you!" Garrett ignored the cries walking away from his protégé and newest prisoner without another word.

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Jemma couldn't help but groan as she woke up, not sure how much time had passed, but she at least felt rested. Every muscle in her body seemed to be screaming at her. Fitz stirred behind her echoing her groan of pain her attention fully turned on him "One of these mornings were going to wake up together and not be terrified for our lives" he murmured pulling her into a hug and causing her so smile.

"I look forward to it" she said leaning up to gently capture his lips in her own. He responded initially just as gently not wanting to aggravate either their injuries before increasing his fervor and pulling her closer. They both realized that this was the last thing they should be doing right now, rather focusing their efforts on another escape attempt, but right now after 10 years of waiting this is what felt right.

When they finally did pull away he rested his forehead against her, hands cupping her face "I love you Jemma Simmons, and I should have told you that every single day". Tears welled in her eyes but for the first time since the fall of Shield they were happy tears "And I love you Leo Fitz….or is a going to be Coulson now?" she added with a smile.

He opened his mouth the respond the door leading into the cellblock opening. In one swift movement they were up, pain forgotten, Fitz in front of her ready to protect her no matter what Garrett was throwing at them now. What they saw come through the door made them both cry out "Look who showed up at our front door this morning!"

Their response was a blur, true Fitzsimmons fashion, and even Wards lips tipped up slightly.

"No!"

"Sir what on earth were you thinking!"

"Where are the others? Are they okay? Why are you here alone?"

"Really sir! What were you thinking! Shield protocol dictates that a senior officer should never…"

"You drugged them didn't you?!"

"How could you, Agent May will not be happy"

"I'm going back to what the hell were you bloody thinking?!"

"Nice to see you too" Coulson said, his heart stopping in his chest eyes fixed on Fitz, unspeakable relief over taking him at the mere sight of him just a few feet away, awake, and talking. Ward followed him in, shoving him forward, and pulling out a gun "Hands up and against the wall both of you" He ordered. They both complied Ward quickly opening the door to their cell, removing the cuffs, and shoving Coulson in. "What no room service menu?" Coulson asked as Ward staked out, not wanting to risk another heart to heart like Fitz gave him last night nor deprive Garrett of the scene he so wanted to see.

They just stared at each other for a few moments, Jemma slipping a comforting hand into Fitz's giving it a squeeze of encouragement. It was Coulson who moved first, launching himself forward and pulling Fitz into a tight hug, as if trying to make up for 26 years of them at once. Slowly the engineer's arms returned the gesture unsure of what to say. "I swear Leo I didn't know, if I'd known I would have been there for you every step of the way, never put you in that kind of danger, never let that or any other monster near you". Simmons tried to move back and give them some space, Coulson's hand taking her arm and pulling her in as well. "I am so proud of you, both of you right now, and I promise I'm going to get you out of here".

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Melinda May knew the effects of an ICER as soon as she started to come around, "Damn it Phil" she muttered placing her hand on her forehead. Him and his protective hero complex! She had no question of where he had gone, probably walked up and knocked on the front door. Yes, she was going to kill him when she found him.

Slowly her other senses came back to her and she was acutely aware someone was standing over her, blocking out the morning light as the sun began to climb into the sky. Without warning or even looking her legs shot forward wrapping around whoever was standing over her by the waist and threw them to the ground. Even before opening her eyes she could hear guns being raised, a painful grunt as her victim hit the ground.

Vision clearing her fist was up and ready to drive into her assailants face….freezing when she saw who was staring back at her.

"I understand you were looking for me" he said.

Her fist lowered slightly and she leapt off of him, the Shield agents that surrounded her still not lowering their weapons "Director Fury!"

He still looked annoyed after she pulled him off the ground "Now, Agent Hill tells me Garrett's being a world class prick…" he didn't get to finish the statement Melinda driving her fist into his face with a satisfying crack. He stumbled back, his men moving to restrain and subdue her, stopping when he held up his hand. "…no…I deserved that…" he said.

"And more" May shot rubbing her knuckles have not used proper form in her anger. Tripp coming too, shooting up with his hands to his head "Damn it Coulson!" trying to get Skye's attention. She groaned "Damn it AC!" she cursed seeing it was light and then who was standing with May. "Umm Tripp…" she said trying to get his shoulder but missing in her shock.

He still had his hands over his eyes "What Skye?" he asked finally looking up and shooting up to attention "Director!"

Fury was clearly amused at the trio "Take it I'm a little late to the party and Phil took matters into his own hands?" Out of the three of them Skye had no semblance of decorum or protocol. "A little late?!" she demanded "Little late! You were a little late when you didn't tell him about Fitz the second you learned about him!" Tripp tried to get her to stop years of training hard to stop no matter now angry he was, but she wasn't done "If he'd known AC wouldn't have let him out of his sight and not with that traitor!"

"I get you are all angry right now and there will be plenty of time for all of you to rant and punch me when we're done. But now is the time to man up so we can go in and get the two people that really deserve to let me have it".

"Three" Skye corrected "Simons deserves a shot or five too…and just so you know she gets all sorts of crazy when it comes to protecting Fitz so biological repercussions are totally a possibility".

Fury smiled starting to see why Coulson like her so much, gesturing down the path they had been following, "Get the girl a computer!" he ordered "I need to see what we're walking into! Who brought the explosives?! I want that thing blown sky high! And will someone find out where the hell my plane is!"

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Garrett watched the monitors of the detention cell, gaze unmoving unwavering for the last few hours, as he watched the prisoners. "Sir?" Grant said coming in, startled to see he was right where he left him when he'd gone to eat and run combat training with the men that had been at least five hours ago. John still didn't' move studying the screen "Its sickenly sweet, seeing Coulson with them, they've been together for hours and after assuring they were okay…not a word…nap time even" he mused gesturing to the screen.

Grant looked, expecting to see them huddled around plotting escape and mayhem, not the two scientist what could only be called cuddling against him. Coulson in the middle leaning against the wall, Fitzsimmons on either side of him slumbering against his chest, his arms wrapped around their backs. He couldn't keep his jaw from dropping at the site and was more than inclined to agree with Garrett at the moment, though he could practically hear Skye squealing with delight at the site.

"How long have they been like that?" Ward asked making sure the audio was on as his adage of a quiet Fitzsimmons was a bad Fitzsimmons coming to mind. And he didn't even want to get started on a quiet Coulson.

"Hours and I've waited long enough for him to give me what I want" John said "We have him right where we want him…ripping him away now…would just be beyond cruel". Ward made to move towards to door, ready to answer the unsaid order, Garrett stopping him "No no, I want this pleasure". Ward didn't like it but he felt a wave of fear and guilt well, the predatory look in Garrett's eyes one he hadn't seen since his youth.

Ward followed "You'll need back up, they won't take this too well".

"As if they could take me" he scoffed "as if anyone could take me…but if you must". As they moved Ward signaled for more guards to meet them down there, but wait to go in. Ten men had answered the call all nervously awaiting their leader.

"Now everyone in there is going to get rather uppity in a few seconds" Garrett said "But it's of the utmost importance that they all remain alive for now…you can rough up anyone that resists or gets by Ward and I but no killing…understood".

A chorus of "Yes Sir's were muttered and Garrett threw the door open, making as grand of an entrance he could manage into the detention area. To his credit Coulson didn't jump, keeping a steady hand on the scientists as they jolted awake pulling away even farther. Assured they were awake he rose slowly, motioning for them to stay back. "What can I do for you John? I assume this isn't a social call".

"I've been beyond patient Phil, I let you have a nice nap, a little reunion…now it's time to get down to business…" Garrett said pausing outside the cell.

"I said I'd tell you whatever you wanted after you let them go. Simmons did what I assume you wanted her for, administering the GH-325. As for Leo, I already gave you my world that I would give you everything upon his release therefore he is of no further value to you".

Alarm bells began to ring in Wards head…how had Coulson known about the serum? Garrett himself said they had hardly spoken since being placed together. "Sir…" he tried to whisper, get Garrett's attention, his SO paying him no heed. "So it's Leo now?" he said with interest setting his gaze on the engineer "And I'm not here for you Phil, I'm here for him".

Ward couldn't stop his head form spinning, looking at Garrett as if he had grown another head, this hadn't been the plan. He'd gone on for weeks, months even about what he was going to do when he finally had Coulson.

Coulson shifted as did Simmons standing in front of him, hand clasped in her own despite his protests. "No, I'll go with you John, give you whatever you want…" the calm demeanor failing. Garrett opened the door "You don't have what I want", his men advancing forward behind him.

"It's time to realize my true potential…"

"Help me grow stronger…stronger…stronger…"

"To be the God I am now…no one…can stop me…"

"Shield, Hydra…both pawns pawns pawns in my game. I deserve it, the power"

"All the power, mine, to be unstoppable…little Leo will make me unstoppable…"

"The Future…I have seen the future…I will cleanse the future…the future is mine…"

Grant wasn't sure if it where it came from, mostly habit, as he turned and shared a concerned look with Coulson. This was beyond Garrett's normal ramblings and not his usual, long winded stories of the glory days. Checking the prisoners he saw the look even before the first punch was thrown, Coulson going into protective mode, eyes narrowed as he launched himself at Garrett.

Ward cursed running in having to dive out of the way as Garrett threw Coulson across the cell like a rag doll, the older man crashing into the wall and sliding down to the floor. The men bottle necking at the door in a rush to help their leader "Stay back" Ward warned, Garrett on the move again, advancing on the engineer as he ran to Coulson's side and was attempting to help him up. Simmons was next, leaping onto Garrett's back, nails clawing at his face. Ward easily pried her off but struggled to hold her writhing form, almost unholy screams and curses coming from her.

In the same moment Garrett was on the move again plucking Fitz up off the floor away from Coulson's side "Come on Kid" He grunted dragging him away, two of the men coming in and pinning the father to the floor and forcing Coulson to watch Fitz being led away "No John, take me instead".

"Let go!" Simmons screamed, Ward feeling blood on his arms as she tore her wounds open again. "Please" she tried again slumping in defeat as Garrett disappeared out the door. "Ward, what does he want with him…I gave him the serum…he's already stronger…He has Coulson…" With Garrett gone the others released Coulson and were backing out of the cell with raised weapons, he following keeping Simmons in hand until the last possible moment before releasing her back into Coulson's waiting arms.

"Ward!" Coulson called back "That…whoever or whatever that is…is not the John Garrett you remember…please….don't let him hurt him". Ward was gone in an instant, his men following.

To Be Continued….


	7. Tipping Point

AN: Thanks for all the love! I was going to wait another day before posting but thanks to all those wonderful reviews, follows, and favs I just couldn't wait! So glad you are all enjoying this and yes a sequel is already in the works so throw out your suggestions now!

Fitz couldn't believe how strong Garrett had become, the man had always been strong but now almost seemed inhuman as his arm threated to snap under the pressure if his iron grip. He was trying frantically to get himself under control, their seemingly beautiful plan they had spent the entire night working out in Morse code simply flying out the window.

When Coulson had initially helped them settle in against his chest it had felt odd and even embarrassing knowing that someone namely Garrett and Ward was watching…that feeling quickly disappearing into one of happiness and security. Feeling safe in his father's presence for the first time since Ward had drug them from Providence. Then he'd felt the light tapping on his shoulder, the movement barely perceptible. First asking for understanding then to fake sleep before they got going.

Coulson would comply with Garrett, and trick him into giving him access to a computer then distract him long enough to get the cell doors open and the pair to make a break for it, find something they could use to communicate, and call in the Calvary, literally.

This…this was not part of the plan, Garrett's muttering about the future nothing but the ramblings of a madman now. "Sir!" Ward said finally catching up as they stopped at the door of a lab just as Garrett opening it using a code. Fitz realized with a start that his was not part of the plan for Ward either, Ward having the same look on his face when he realized there was no extraction from Russia. The door opened and he was suddenly thankful for the arm supporting him. "What that bloody hell is this!?" Fitz shouted at what was inside. Pieces that clearly belonged to Centipede soldiers were everywhere, some disturbingly bloodied as if ripped out of former owners.

"Like it?" Garrett beamed "My own personal Spa if you like, everything I need to make myself the ultimate in perfection…the bringer of the future…" Grant froze as well, he hadn't seen the base since just before he went undercover within Coulson's team, John having added to his stores considerably in that time "Sir, I don't understand, Cybertek's men could have equipped them…"

"No!" Garrett roared "My body before the serum was too weak and feeble, it couldn't have taken the stress of adding the upgrades...besides I killed them all for failing me, saying what I wanted couldn't be done, saying they couldn't replicate his work. No Leo here is going to give me the best of the best, upgrade to the finest options".

Ward pressed "Sir! Now is not the time! You've had Coulson for hours now and done nothing with him…The Calvary could break down the door any second and I assure you she is going to be beyond pissed when she gets here…not to mention Hydra, they expected you to turn over any prisoners and it's only a matter of time before they come looking for them."

Without warning Garrett turned and wrapped his free hand around Grant's throat "Do not question me!" lifting him high into the air as if he weighed nothing. "Ward!" Fitz cried as the specialists was thrown out the door "Ward help me!" Garrett slamming it and locking the pair inside.

Fitz was unsure why he'd called out to the traitor like that, though for a few seconds he'd thought he'd seen the glimmer of the man they thought they knew. Now Ward lay crumpled on the floor and didn't move before the room was sealed, he was now locked in with a homicidal maniac. His arm was beginning to go numb when Garrett finally released it, forcing him into a chair by one of the workstations. Grabbing his roughly by the hair he forced him to look at the table, Fitz couldn't believe what he was seeing, his designs…well parts of them…."How did you get these?" he asked "They were just sketches, ideas I had after seeing Mike, I never showed them to anyone but Jemma, they were never meant…"

"To be found, used?" Garrett asked "Yes, well Ward has been sending me your doodles for ages and they are inspired my boy! But terribly complicated, Cybertek was able to manufacture the pieces but no one could put them together quite right. So I thought we'd start small, with the small arm piece".

Fitz pushed the parts away with revulsion, seeing his own design perverted by a madman, sending Wards betrayal to another level. Garrett tightened his hold on his hair and used it to twist his neck painfully the other hand pinching into his chest grabbing onto one of his ribs "This is not a negotiation, you have 1 hour and you will make it work or I will rip out your rib before driving it into your father's throat…and believe me you don't want to know what I'm going to do to that sweet little Chemist of yours".

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"Oh God! We're out of time!" Skye cried watching the feed in horror. She had successfully hacked the system a few hours ago, squealing in delight when she found the trio huddled in the detention bay. Had the situation not been so dire she would have snapped a picture of it. Garrett sat in a control room staring at them on a monitor while Ward was all over the base. But things had taken a scary turn just minutes ago when Garrett made his move.

May was at her side in an instant peering over her shoulder Garrett literally dragging Fitz down the hall disappearing into a room without cameras, Ward flying out and smacking the wall less than a minute after going in. "Deserved that" Skye muttered another alarm going off on her computer as someone inside the base tried to retake the system. Ward was pounding on the door making her heart beat even faster in panic, if he was worried and trying to get back in….

"Director!" May called running to the supplies pulling weapons. Fury seeming to materialize out of thin air, cursing "I managed to find more back up but it will be an bit before it shows up all we can do now is try to hold them off…you have your assignments…we move out in 5!"

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 _"_ _Ward help me!"_ the plea echoed in his ears as he fought the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him once more. He could still see stars as his head pounded and he tried to pull himself up.

" _Please…don't let him hurt him_ "

"Sir!" an agent called running down the hall at top speed "Agent Garrett isn't answering the call…Headquarters is not happy and threatening to send a team in to collect the Shield prisoners our allegiance is being questioned". Ward shook his head trying to focus, with everything going on they now had Hydra breathing down their necks.

"Garrett is indisposed at the moment" He said looking at the door not wanting to tip the agent off and have a mutiny on his hands as well. Gave the Hydra salute "Thank you son" he said seeing him bubble with pride "I will inform Agent Garrett. Put the men on alert…I fear Shield may be closing in…my former team doesn't do too well following orders when it comes to protecting each other".

"Hail Hydra" the agent said before scampering off down the hall. Ward waited until he was out of site before trying the door to the lab, finding it latched from the inside. He fruitlessly pounded on it "Please Fitz for once don't fight him…you can't fight him" he said resting his head against the door.

" _We can fix it together…you don't have to do this_ "

" _One day you will wake up and realize your own soul is worth fighting for_ ".

 _"_ _Be the man that we knew…be the man that Skye…"_

In that moment he didn't something that he hadn't done since he was a boy…he made up his own mind.

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Jemma had composed herself, burying her anger and terror deep within, and was now channeling it into try to beat the hinges off the door. Coulson had used his own anger to lay waste to the table and break off the legs for them to use on the hinges. No one seemed to care about their blatant escape efforts and she hoped it was they were dealing with a very angry Calvary.

Frustration was starting to set in as the metal refused to budge under her efforts. "Sir" Simmons asked without breaking her rhythm "I need to apologize this is all my fault, if I hadn't given him the serum…if I hadn't gotten caught in the first place…none of this would have happened" She heard the second set of clangs stop before the hand fell on her shoulder, another hand stopping her own efforts.

She turned with watery eyes refusing to let them fall, crying now wouldn't help him. "Jemma" he said gently "You both did what you had too to survive and never for a second think any of this was your fault. Ward is a trained specialist, you are lucky he wanted you too otherwise he would have killed you without another thought". She felt the tears pricking again "I allowed him to become a monster…a monster who took Leo…I can't lose him, not now. And now I'm being selfish, I've had him for 10 years and you are his father and only had a fraction of that time with him".

He pulled her down to look her in the eye "You were there for him when I couldn't be, something I can never thank you enough for. You did what you had to protect each other, you survived, and managed to lead us to you not once but twice…I am so proud of you both. If this is anyone's fault it's my own, I should have never left you alone in Providence, and I was the one who fell right into Garrett's trap to lure me out."

She nodded and finally allowed herself to fall apart, the small stream of tears turning into desperate sobs, Coulson only able to wrap his arms around her and let her cry. She'd held it in too long.

The door to the unit banged open causing her to start and try to hide the tears, Ward stood in the doorway. "Ward what has be done with my son!?" Coulson demanded "Where is Fitz?" Ward didn't' answer instead holding up a familiar gold watch, pressing the button, causing the lights and camera in the room to explode in a shower of sparks. The door to the cell swung open seconds later as the keypad securing it exploded under the pulse. Coulson and Simmons didn't move, starting at him with doubt, worried it would be yet another trap.

Ward pulled out set of guns as he moved towards them, Coulson shoving Simmons behind him. The Specialist stopped, putting them on the floor and kicking them over. "Just remember if you shoot me in the back I won't be able to lead you to where Garrett has him". He turned and ran out of the room, Coulson only debating for a second, Simmons less that that running after him, each scooping up a gun on their way out.

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Fitz could feel Garrett breathing down his neck as he fought to keep his hands from shaking, as to not destroy the delicate work he was doing. "Faster, faster, faster" Garrett muttered over and over in his ear "Time's a ticking, ticking for those you love, I do wonder how she will scream….knowing her suffering is all your fault".

"It's done!" Fitz shot back, "But I strongly recommend not putting it on! Under the best of circumstances I would take at least three days to assemble this, running tests as I went to make sure everything is aligned correctly, that it will be compatible with your software from what little I saw you have an early model, these were designed for Mike…"

Garrett screamed in rage, and drove one of the tiny screwdrivers into the table, a hairs breath from his hand. "Do it!" Now his hands were shaking, unable stop and he pulled up the gauntlet and gently slipped it over Garrett's wrist. As soon as they came in contact with the skin the parts began to whirl to life, an ominous clicking before it latched on. Fitz watched in horror as it tore into the flesh down to the bone, the parts growing until it encased from his wrist to his elbow, Garrett's head flying back in pain as he howled in agony.

Garrett panted clutching the new appendage to himself shaking with pain. Fitz pressed himself back in the chair trying to get as far away as he could as Garrett finally pulled himself up to admire it. "It's so beautiful" he whispered caressing it reverently "You wonderful little genius you, my men spent months on this and an hour…proof like magic…here it is….. Daddy will be so proud of what his…what does Ward call you…Little Monkey made for me…and what more you will in the future".

Fitz pulled up one of the tools and held it in front of him like a weapon. "Stay away from me, from them! I did what you wanted!" Garrett slapped the weapon away, grabbing him painfully on the arm again.

"Look around the room Leo! This was just the beginning…"

The lights flickered and the building shook, Garrett scowled at the offending lights "…of the end" Fitz finished confidently unsure who he owed the impeccable timing too. John pulled out his communicator turning it back on "Report!" he barked "Ward! Anyone report now!"

Static came over the line for a few seconds before someone picked up. "Sir!" the frantic voice responded "We've been trying to reach you and Agent Ward! The bases security system was hacked…we currently have control but the hacker is good…" the sound of an explosion coming over the line followed by what sounded like gunshots, though Fitz would know that sound anywhere, ICERS. "We've been infiltrated sir! I repeat Shield is in the base!"

"Sound the alarm! Kill every one of them! Except Coulson, Hydra needs him!" Garrett shouted into the device throwing the engineer away in his anger "And find me that useless wretch Ward!"

"Hail Hydra" the agent yelled back and the line went dead. Garrett seemed to take a moment to gather himself, getting his erratic breathing under control. Fitz used that moment to start slowly moving towards the door he needed to get out, find anyone from Shield, and get Coulson and Jemma out.

He'd made it about halfway across the room before Garrett seemed to pull himself together and realize his captive was making a run for it. "Just where do you think you're going?" he growled. Fitz went for broke scrambling for the door, hands just getting to the latch before he was thrown back, crashing into one of the tables, the tools and parts on top cutting into his arms before he fell to the floor.

Dazed he looked up Garret slinging a bag over his shoulder, moving swiftly from table to table, throwing the parts into the bag. "Just let me grab a few things and we'll be on our way kid, need to get you hidden away I don't want to share you with Hydra…you are mine…mine…all mine…" _Not again!_ Fitz though desperately. He began to pull himself up, backing away again trying to get out of the madman's reach, the door to the room exploding open in a powerful blast. He covered his head as it shook the room, peering through the dust and flickering lights. Coulson coming through the hole he'd made in the door, a huge gun giving off and amber glow in his hands "Back the hell away from my son!"

Garrett froze just steps away a wide Cheshire smile on his face raising his arm up and arming his new device. "I see you raided my toy box". Coulson shrugged "I call him Bambino, I kind of think of this as mine after all I did blast an Asgardian with it…and will be more than happy to blast you too. I won't say it again, back away from my son!"

"You're not the only one with firepower Coulson" Garrett threatened, one of the rockets arming with a flick of his wrist. "Isn't it magnificent, your dear boy made it for me…one of many I might add…he's going to make me the ultimate killing machine, bringer of the future, leader of a new world". Fitz made eye contact with Coulson, his father offering a quick flick of his eye indicating for him to move for the door. He didn't dare even nod fearing Garrett would catch on, instead inching himself away.

"He's never doing anything for you ever again John" Coulson said intent on keeping the focus on him. "It's over, a Shield team is storming the base as we speak and if you so much as think about moving I'll blast you into oblivion".

Garrett laughed "As if that could hurt me, I have the blood of the gods running through my veins, besides…." His hand shooting out faster than either man could comprehend and snatching the engineer and hauling Fitz in front of himself "Besides I can take the blast but can he?"

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Jemma stood outside the smoldering hole, keeping herself out of site, adjusting the rifle in her hand. Ward had given it too her when they went through the room containing the spoils from the Fridge, Coulson immediately taking to a large gun he called Bambino.

She heard what Garrett had said, saw how Coulson tensed and knew Fitz was in danger…well more immediate danger than he had been. She let out a whimper, Ward placing a hand on her shoulder, she assumed to keep her from doing anything stupid like charging in there. "Easy, let Coulson handle it" he whispered and she was forced to tap down the urge to turn around and shove her rifle into a more appropriate place for touching her again.

"Ward!" a voice that she hadn't heard in what felt like ages shouted down the hall "Drop the weapon and get away from her". Jemma turned to see May, a smile erupting on her face at the site of her friend, Tripp just steps behind. They both had guns raised, Coulson only briefly turning his attention down the hall to acknowledge them.

"You don't understand…" Ward hissed putting his finger to his lips to keep them quiet. May narrowed her eyes, voice dropping low "Get away from her and drop your weapons or I will kill you". Jemma turning to try to help diffuse the situation "May, Tripp!" she said "Wait, Ward is helping…" the words dying on her lips as she felt Ward wrap his arm around her throat and haul her in front of him, unknowingly mirroring Garrett's actions inside the lab. "What are you doing?!" She asked struggling, feeling sick at what had happened the last time she was in this position.

"Back off!" Ward shouted making sure his voice was loud enough to carry into the lab where Coulson and Garrett were still locked off in their own standoff. "Would you just pick a bloody side already" she shot futilely pulling at his arm. "Sorry Simmons, someone told me I needed to think about saving myself and that's just what I'm doing. I need to get out of here and you're the only thing standing between me and two very angry ex-teammates" he whispered in her ear. Coulson's eyes panicked as he looked between the scientists, backing up to allow Garrett to come out Fitz clutched tightly against his chest. Ward immediately noticed the new hardware his SO was sporting, armed and ready to kill them all if someone said something wrong.

"Where the hell have you been you worthless excuse for a right hand!" he bellowed seeing Ward holding off Agents May and Tripp with Simmons. "Busy" Ward growled back "If you haven't noticed we have some company", the longer Garrett thought he was with him the better. "Ah hell, the Calvary and my other biggest disappointment is here too, it's a good old fashioned Shield family reunion, all that's missing is that pretty little hacker and we'd be good to go…but I'll bet you hid her real good, I'd hate a repeat of Italy seeing as how all of the GH-325 is gone".

"It's over John, Shield is taking your men out, Skye has taken out your security, and you are surrounded". Coulson said charging the weapon again "Let him go and surrender…"

"Never!" Garrett roared, raising his arm and firing, giving a pitying look at Ward "Sorry Kid, this is where we part ways". The small explosive shot out and into the ceiling and exploded. The heat form the explosion hit before the debris did, everyone barely having time to cover their heads as the ceiling crashed down.

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Coulson groaned ignoring the pain that seemed to envelope his entire body. Smoke and dirt choked him and he slowly pushed himself up surveying the damage around him. Garrett's weapon had taken out at least half the hallway ceiling, reining it down upon them. "Leo? May? Tripp? Simmons? Hell even Ward? Everyone okay?"

No one answered and his heart plummeted, blindly crawling along the rubble feeling for anything. Finally he came across someone large, firm body from what he could feel and Ward had been closest to him. The dust and smoke was beginning to settle, the ringing in his ears abating only to be replaced by the sound of the bases blaring alarm. Leo? He had been on the other side with Garrett away from the blast. "Leo?" he called again turning from the rubble hearing the faintest sound of his son's calling for help down the hall.

Coulson didn't' look back, running down the hall as fast as he could leaving the rest of his team, only able to pray they were alive. "AC! May! Are you guys okay?" Skye yelled as she entered the hallway, not seeing Coulson disappear from the opposite end, skidding to a halt at the rubble, "Oh God! May! Tripp!" she said dropping to her knees "Someone get down here with medical" She shouted into the comm, pulling the rubble off of them, "Come on guys" she said shaking them both.

Tripp groaned first bringing a bloody hand to his head coughing. "The man had an arm mounted rocket" he said bitterly "Where did he get an arm mounted rocket! I know he wasn't hiding that under his shirt when he was training me". Skye let out a sigh of relief as May groaned next, sitting up without so much as a wince, instead pulling her weapon and aiming it at Ward's unmoving form. "Simmons, he had Simmons" she said. Tripp and Skye worked on pulling the debris away and rolling him off the tiny scientists who was remarkably unscathed despite being right under the explosion, Ward taking the brunt of the blast.

Skye pulled her away from the traitor, wrapping her up in a hug tears of relief welling as she found a pulse. They had her back, safe and sound. "Jemma" she said quietly "Come one Jemma wake up your safe now, we've got you". It was now Ward's turn to groan, no one mindful of his own injuries as they had rolled him over. "Garrett…" he mumbled before Tripp let go of his composure and drove his fist into his nose. Blood poured from his nose be he made no move to fight back, holding his hands up in surrender. Tripp was on him again, his fist connecting with his lip and eye before Jemma's tiny voice somehow came through "Tripp, wait" she said weakly.

"Simmons, how hard did you hit your head?" Tripp asked incredulous "He kidnapped you and Fitz…wait a minute…guys…" stopping when he realized there were a few people missing, the others still focused on the scientist.

She was pulling herself up, dusting herself off "That he did and believe me he deserves to be locked alone with Agent May but he got Coulson and I out, brought us here to get Fitz…oh no Fitz?" The darkness of her tone evaporating as they looked into the empty hall behind them. And faster than anyone in her condition should have been able to move she was over the debris looking into the empty lab.

"Phil" May called looking around, catching site of dusty footprints in the hall "Damn it Phil!"

Ward wiped the blood off of his face with his shirt "Garrett's running…or what's left of him, he is using Fitz to upgrade his components. He'll head for something that can fly" He said digging in the rubble looking for his gun, two guns at his temple freezing him in place. Skye and Tripp held the weapons to him "I think you've done enough already" Skye hissed coldly.

"I'm trying to help you!" He said trying to resist the temptation of taking them all down and doing it himself "Like Coulson said that is not Garrett, not anymore, and I don't owe this one anything". They still didn't move Simmons breaking the stalemate, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from the standoff "Bloody hell we don't' have time for this! Show us where he is taking him!"

No one dared argue with her instead scrambling to follow. "Skye, where are Fury and his men?" May asked shooting one last warning look to Ward, which he accepted with a nod.

"Fury's here?!" Ward asked surprised.

Skye ignored him "They secured most of Garrett's men…pretty easy seeing as they all pretty much peed their pants when Fury strode through the door…he's quite imposing when he wants to be. But off track, he pulled everyone back to the hanger to make sure none of the little cockroaches make a run for it."

Ward had stopped listening, a little disappointed the men he had been training had been felled so quickly, "Did you say they were all in the hanger?" Skye scowled feeling she'd already given too much away and he pressed "Damn it Skye! Garrett is making a run for it with Fitz, possibly Coulson. He's desperate and insane right now and I am honestly terrified of what he's going to do to Fitz" Simmons biting back a sob but keeping quiet "when he stops running. Now, He needs a plane to get out of here so if the hanger is full of Director Fury and Shield agents I need to know because if that's the case…"

"He'll head for the Bus" May finished "Director Fury had a few men secure it when we started our attack".

"A few men won't stop him, not now" Simmons said "He has a mixture of GH-325 and Centipede serum now…not to mention a hostage possibly two". They didn't have time to process the new information, May calling into Fury.

To be Continued….


	8. A Fathers Love

AN: Okay we'll get right too it!

Fitz winced as another body dropped to the ground, Garrett shooting them as soon as they came into his sites, just as he had the last five men they'd come into contact with. This one was one of his own, Garrett not caring if who he came across was friend or foe. He was worried for his friends and father, the ceiling collapsing down on them as Garrett used it as a distraction to make his escape.

The large hand over his mouth was making it difficult for him to breathe, his hands uselessly trying to pull it off, Garrett had been less than pleased with his cries for help that had seemingly gone unheard. He'd never felt so helpless in his entire life, being used as a hostage, getting his team hurt in the process. Garrett stopped peering down the hall to a door that lead to the outside, sunlight streaming through it and two agents guarding it.

Fitz tried to shout a warning, not caring if they were Hydra, Garrett chuckling at his efforts before raising his gun and firing off two shots, the men falling even before they knew something was coming. "Shhh" he whispered in Leo's ear causing him to shudder, before resuming his murderous path.

Garrett cautiously peered outside an amplified voice echoing into the clearing coming from inside the hanger where a standoff appeared to be taking place "This is Director Fury of Shield and we have you surrounded…surrender now or we will be forced to take extreme measures".

"See more lives than a damn cat" Garrett said "but a wonderful distraction none the less. Come one Leo my boy, our chariot awaits".

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He had been so close, so close to getting him back only to have him taken away again, and this time he had a terrible feeling that if he didn't get him back now he would never see him again. He was following the trail of bodies, a gruesome trail of breadcrumbs, through the halls. He briefly paused at the body of a Shield Agent, taking his ICER and adding it to the arsenal he was collecting, feeling a pang of guilt that he'd given his life trying to help him. The sounds of distant gunshots breaking him from his revelry and back to his run.

The trail led him to a small side door open to the outside, the sunlight burning his eyes, a familiar sound greeting his ears as the Bus was preparing to take off. "Oh no you don't" he said breaking into a run, the cargo ramp starting to close, two more agents dead on it. Coulson pushed himself faster than he ever had before, his breaths coming out as frantic gasps of desperation, leaping through the small opening that was left to the side.

He tumbled inside and lay on the cool metal for a moment amazed that he hadn't lost a leg or arm in the effort.

Once recovered he could feel the plane raising into the air. Garrett would be in the cockpit, obviously flying, but the million dollar question was where had he taken Leo. He doubted Garrett would have taken the time to secure him in the Cage or was foolish enough to just let him move freely about the plane. He'd want him close where he could keep an eye on him. "Cockpit it is" he muttered an all-out fight in the crucial yet confined space wasn't ideal. He couldn't help grimacing as he approached the lab, seeing the wreck it was. The work station smashed, bottles shattered everywhere, and even more disturbingly blood. Despite being his Bus he'd always seen the area as Fitzsimmons's domain, they all did.

The feeling of violation didn't abate as he worked his way through the plane, coming across more bodies, ransacked bunks, broken glass, and garbage left by Garrett's men from their time on the plane. He entered the lounge and froze unable to believe what he saw because there sitting on the couch, both of his hands handcuffed above his head to a makeshift bolt in the wall, was Leo.

He didn't see or hear Coulson come in, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he worked a small tool he must have taken from the lab into the lock of his handcuffs "Bloody egomaniac…" he mumbled "I'll show him an upgrade he'll never forget…show him to hurt my family…". Phil stumbled for breath relief overwhelming him though cautious to make sure Garrett wasn't lurking in the shadows ready to pounce.

Unable to wait anymore he snuck in, his voice barely above a whisper "Would you like a hand with that Kiddo?" he asked unable to wipe the smile off of his face. Fitz leap in shock, fear that it had been Garrett catching him before his face lit up into pure happiness "Dad?" Coulson wrapped him in his arms taking a moment to assure himself he was really there letting that small simple word wash over him. It was the first time Leo had called him that without being coerced into it. "Yeah it is, let me see that" he said taking the tool and resuming his efforts at a better angle.

"Jemma and the others, are they okay?" Fitz asked seeing a small frown appear.

"I'm sorry I don't know, I came after you…but they are a tough bunch and I'll take more than a bit of rubble to keep them down". Coulson answered.

"I don't want to sound like an ungrateful or needy child here, but you really need to hurry" Fitz said eyes now fixed on the hall leading to the cockpit "He'll be back after he gets the auto pilot set, this was just temporary….he didn't like me trying to kick in the control panel or that even handcuffed I could get my hands on a few of the buttons…namely the bad ones that would dump our fuel. Only reason I'm not on ice is he expected me to continue the upgrades once the course was set".

Coulson risked a glance at the hall himself feeling the first lock give moving onto the second, the planes ascent leveled out. "Come on" Coulson hissed at the lock heavy footsteps distantly pounding down the hall. With a curse it finally came free and he hauled Fitz up pushing him back the way they had come, Garrett coming as they entered the hall.

"How many times do I have to kill you?" He ground trying to peer around Coulson to catch site of the engineer he was hiding behind him.

Coulson kept his gun up using his free hand to lead Leo back, towards the cargo bay. "You know John, you're really starting to piss me off. You hurt my team…my family…I will not allow you to hurt anyone else". Continuing the tortuously slow walk intent of keeping the distance and himself between Fitz and Garrett, he would never let him lay a hand on him again.

Garrett turned his attention from Coulson to Fitz "Come on Kid, you and me, we can do great things, you come on back to me and I won't crash this plane and kill you both…I'll even give Daddy a fighting chance when I throw him off this bird and toss a parachute out after him". Coulson could feel the second ICER he'd tucked into back waist of his pants being pulled, his body shielding Fitz's move.

"Go to Hell!" Fitz shot, whipping the ICER up and firing three shots without warning. Coulson didn't look back, Garrett howling in pain, ushering Fitz ahead "Go! Get the bay doors open" he ordered opening doors, and overturning anything he could into the path behind him.

Fitz did as he was told running ahead, Coulson looking back to see Garrett advancing, blood coming from one of his hands covering a bloodied eye, the ICER round must have hit something vital on his face. "You can't stop me! I'm practically a God now!" Garrett cackled, Coulson firing a few rounds with his own gun loaded with real bullets. All hit home the former agent seeming to slow but continuing to move. Coulson was regretting not grabbing Bambino again in his haste to get out. "John I have met no less than two Gods and you don't hold a candle to either of them…and that includes the evil one that killed me and laid waste to New York".

"Oh, how I'm going to enjoy watching the light leave your eyes Phil, and then I'll go down and grab that kid of yours and break his scrawny little legs, I'm tired of him trying to run out on me". Garrett continued his advance as they entered the cargo bay, the hatch open wide and Fitz clutching the railing at the bottom of staircase anxiously looking up at him, two parachutes slung on his back.

Seeing him his eyes lit up "Dad, Get down!" he ordered Coulson not thinking twice about descending a few steps before jumping over the side. Fitz threw whatever was in his hand up, a metallic clink tell him something had hit. Garrett emerged seconds later, bloody and eyes wild, seeing the object just as a blue burst emitted from it, blasting him back down the hall.

"Have I mentioned how much I love that thing" Coulson said dropping the parachutes before taking his hand and carefully leading him over too Lola. "Buckle up! And get down!" He shouted, Garrett emerging once more as what could only be described as crispy, burns now littering his expose skin, smoke still coming off of his clothes. His arm was up, the rocket armed and aiming right at them.

Fitz smiled looking up at Garrett while fastening his seatbelt "Wait for it…" Coulson looked up in time to see Fitz's device flare to life again, this time sending an even bigger pulse out blasting Garrett into the wall, leaving a considerable dent in its wake. "I call it Double Trouble" he said proudly "Idiots didn't find all of my prototypes".

"Hang on!" Coulson was overwhelmed with pride of his own yet not wanting to hang around and see if that was finally enough to put him down, pulling a lever and Lola rolling off the ramp in a free fall off the Bus.

Fitz had a death grip on the handles yet keep remarkably quiet as they plummeted back to earth. Coulson calmly flipped switches, the boosters engaging and their decent slowing, leveling off, and turning the opposite direction. A few minutes passed, Coulson seeing the Bus beginning to turn after them, answering his question that the device had indeed not fully taken Garrett down. "Quick question" Fitz said turning so he could watch the plane "How good is the insurance on the Bus? Still good seeing as how Shield kind of went up in smoke?"

Coulson looked at him incredulously seeing the hint of mischief, readying to ask just what the engineer had done when there was a massive explosion behind them, the Bus exploding before what seemed like slowly plummeting into the forest below, where another fireball went up hundreds of feet into the air.

Coulson turned slowly meeting his son's very amused and very satisfied look "What did you do?"

"Back when we'd been rerouted to the Hub after Garrett was almost shot down…hind sight we shouldn't have saved him…I didn't want to risk the Bus's weapons being used against us or anyone else. So I rewired a few things…Garrett must have tried to fire the missiles at us since I had those wired to the self-destruct system".

Coulson just stared at him not sure whether to scold or praise him at the moment. He could have been killed if Garrett had gotten trigger happy. Seeming to read his mind Fitz continued "I meant to tell you and then everything went to hell and I would have rather died than have anyone use it against other Shield agents or innocent civilians…and don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing".

"Well talk about that later" Coulson said patting his hand reassuringly "We have a lot to talk about, but first why don't we get back and make sure the team hasn't drawn and quartered Ward yet".

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Jemma twisted her hands nervously in her lap, her pleading eyes going to Skye every few moments, silently begging the hacker for any sign of Fitz and Coulson.

Fury was once again hiding in the shadows allowing his team to handle the mop up, Jemma swearing he was avoiding her and sniffed his coffee every time he got a fresh cup. Tripp was handling Garrett's men, securing them and preparing them for the Shield transport Hill had sent. May was preparing a group to go in search of Garrett, Fitz, and Coulson, who had been gone for what seemed like ages to the young scientist, every passing minute the outcome looking worse. No one willing to take off until they at least had a general direction to go in.

Skye was working on that, trying to use the Hub's old system that allowed them to control the plane to track it down. She was actually scolding herself for not thinking of it the last time they were trying to find it, though with hostages on board with an unstable nut job, taking over the plane might not be the best course of action. Garrett had disposed of the second tracker, them finding charred remnants in a kitchen pot. Jemma bit her lip feeling utterly useless at the moment, her job in treating the injuries done, meaning all she could do was wait. "Would you stop with the puppy dog eyes!" Skye demanded tapping away on her computer.

"I beg your pardon" Simmons asked.

Skye didn't look up "You heard me so don't play innocent, you are looking at me like a sad little puppy, and no matter how big those eyes get I can't make them appear out of thin…"

"Jemma!"

Both girls freezing for a moment before they turned searching the surrounding trees, clutching each other in support and disbelief. "You heard that right?" Skye asked "I haven't had nearly enough caffeine over the last few hours and along with playing where in the world is Fitzsimmons, everything is starting to catch up with me". Jemma just nodded not trusting that her mind wasn't playing a cruel trick on her, perhaps she did have a concussion from having the solid mass of muscle that was Grant Ward land on top of her.

"Jemma!" the voice called again, closer than before, this time the pair looking up to see Lola easing down for a landing, Fitz peering happily over the side. "Okay you're seeing that right…" Skye started her eyes as wide as saucers, Simmons cry of delight stopping her "Fitz!" she cried taking off at a run.

"I'll take that as a yes" Skye said and turned back into the hanger shouting "AC's back!" forgetting she had a communicator or that she had possibly started a stampede of concerned team mates. Instead chasing after Simmons as she rushed into the clearing, tackling poor Fitz to the ground as soon as he was out of car, kissing every part of his face she could get her lips on. He fell and cried out but happily accepted and returned the gesture. Coulson coming out from the other side with a wide smile of his own "What am I chopped liver?" Skye crashing into his chest seconds later in a tight hug. "I can give you kisses too if you like but I think May might kill me in my sleep for it" she mumbled into his chest drawing a laugh.

"Sir…Fitz…No way!" Tripp said running out with May just steps behind looking at Lola "There has to be one incredible story behind this" he added with a huge grin. May was next embracing her friend in a rare public show of affection "And after we hear it we're going to have a long talk about Icing me and sneaking off to an enemy base all by ourselves tonight" she said seriously before moving on to embrace Fitz "And so good to see you again".

"Don't go too hard on him" Fitz said "He was just trying to help us". She offered a smile and stepped back as Tripp spoke asking the question they all had on the tip of their tongues "What happened to Garrett? Is he dead? Or did you tie him up and throw him in the trunk? If so I have dibs on using him as a punching bag".

"He dead" Coulson confirmed "Went down with the ship so to speak".

May looked at him with a raised eyebrow "You mean the Bus is gone?!" Skye asked explaining why should couldn't get a fix on the signal even with Fury's access. Fitz not looked at his toes sheepishly "It's gone" he confirmed making an explosive gesture with his hands.

"Ward?" Coulson asked wanting to give him a reprieve, there would be time to go over the finer details later, seeing the base had been taken by more than just his team he had questions of his own.

"Locked up, Simmons said he'd helped you guys get out so we haven't let May at him…yet" Tripp said. Coulson nodded wearily, Ward could wait too. Right now all he wanted to do was get Leo checked out and asleep…safe for the first time in days.

He was leading Leo back to the base, arm wrapped around his shoulder gently, unlike the many times Garrett had done it the last few days. Simmons was on his other side, hand latched into Fitz's with no sign of letting go anytime soon.

Just when he thought he was in the clear, would be able to take a few moments and be a real father to his son, a familiar angry voice echoed from the hanger "Agent Coulson! Agent Fitz! Where the hell is my plane!?"

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"Stupid"

"Cruel"

"Stupid"

"You had no right, no right to hide that from me…from us!"

"I died not knowing about him!"

"And on that matter why on earth did you bring me back, that was reserved for an Avengers fall, not an agent!"

"Bear in mind there is no right answer here!"

Coulson continued to rave at Nicky Fury who stood calmly in an office Fury had taken over at the base, taking everything that the agent could throw at him. Frankly he deserved it between Tahiti and the truth about Agent Fitz, who sat quietly off to the side just watching wanting an explanation just as badly as his father did.

There was a few moments of silence before Fury spoke, making sure that Phil had gotten everything off of his chest taking it as a sign when he finally sat down on the couch next to Fitz and looked at him expectantly. "Are you done?" he asked with a raised eyebrow making sure he had indeed gotten everything out, Coulson merely nodding.

"I'll try to get all of your questions answered, so I'll start from the beginning I just ask they you don't interrupt…I hate being interrupted" Fury began. "I hate not being told I have a child!" Coulson snapped back and Fitz had to put his hand over his mouth to hide a smile.

"I haven't known about your connection as long as you might think…discovering it about ten years ago when Agent Fitz started at the Academy" two sets of nearly identical eyes boring into him "Agent Weaver had sent a message up through the ranks saying she had a pair of students showing exceptional promise. She suggested that they would be a good fit on a more specialized team in the future, so I did a basic read of their bios. I recognized the alias instantly, and well I can do math after looking at your mission logs...confirming it the blood work we had on file for both of you".

"Why not tell me then, Sir?" Coulson asked not caring about interrupting him "I wasn't that high up in Shield at that point, had access to just as much information as many other agents, I wasn't anything exceptional then".

"The honest answer, I was selfish. You were a good agent, one of the few people I trusted. But even a better man, the second you had found out about him you would have gone to him, most likely giving up field work or Shield all together…and as time went on you only became more valuable with Tahiti and your work with the Avengers. Then there was Agent Fitz…the things he and Agent Simmons were producing from the Academy alone were invaluable, I was worried you'd take him away from Shield as well". Fury said seeing their anger flash "And where would we be without you Phil? Look back…what would have happened if you hadn't been there to gather the Avengers, give them that push they needed into becoming a team".

Fitz spoke now, his voice quiet and weary "What about when we came onto the Bus, don't you think that would have been a good time to mention it?"

"Hell no!" Fury said quickly "You were part of that flying circus as much for your protection as your talents, the last thing we needed was someone slipping up and mentioning just who you really were. And I called that one right seeing as how Ward was working for Hydra all along. You saw what Garrett did with that knowledge…what would he had done had he known sooner."

"He still found out and we were completely blindsided!" Coulson argued, "We could have then and will now will take precautions for the future that may or may not involve incredibly extreme security measures. You don't' happen to have another secret base I could borrow since we blew up our plane". The last statement causing Fitz to blush.

"Funny you mention that" Fury said now pulling out a small box, Fitz gasping as he recognized it from when they had been looking for the GH-325. Fury looked amused "Didn't know whose toolbox you had managed to get into did you? Though I do commend you, this is a tough nut to crack ". Coulson looked between the two confused, Fitz finally fessing up "Remember when we found the map to the Guest House, a buddy of mine gave me access to some files from the Triskelion…I didn't know they were yours Sir, though I would do it again if it meant saving Skye".

Fury actually laughed "I know you would. This is my Tool Box, and it contains everything you will need to rebuild Shield, from the ground up".

"Me Sir? Coulson asked looking at the simple black box.

"You" He said firmly "The number of people I trust can now be counted on one hand and we put a lot of work into making it look like I was dead and we intend to keep it that way…I'm going off grid for a bit, I have some things to take care of and Hydra is still out there. Shield needs to be there to stop them, but Shield must be rebuilt, and you are going to do it".

Coulson was speechless as Fury placed the box into his hands as he headed for the door. "I'm not sorry I didn't tell you and would make all the same choices again. Garrett was the first but won't be the last to exploit it" He said heavily. "But I am happy you know the truth and have each other...now if you'll excuse me I have a plane to catch and you have an agency to rebuild". He turned leaving the still stunned pair behind, pulling out a communicator "Someone give me a 20 on Agent Simmons, she was in the lab for a long time this morning…."

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Epilogue

There was a nervous tension in the air as the small band of agents stood should to shoulder, waiting for the doors of the jump jet to open and their new home to be revealed. They had stayed at Garrett's base for a few days, ensuring the prisoners were secured and deciding what to do with Ward. Despite his last minute assistance he still needed to be incarcerated and was still incredibly dangerous. It was only after much discussion that it was agreed he would be taken to a new maximum security facility, the same one that they were housing the Fridge escapees at as they slowly rounded them up. Once things were settled they would reevaluate his situation as each member of the team having different options as to what should happen to him.

The door of the jump jet finally opened, a collective gasp running through the group as someone they had thought to be dead stood at the bottom of the ramp, smiling brightly. Skye nudged Tripp and whispered in his ear "You're seeing this right…" She said the man at the bottom picking up on their shock.

"It's not what you think he said, Eric was my brother, people always get us confused I can't really see how we look alike…but I'm Billy, Billy Koeing". He said Coulson and May the only ones without their mouths open.

"Nice to see you in person, I'm Phil Coulson" Coulson said stepping forward with an extended hand. Koeing had been just as excited as his brother had been rushing forward to grabbing the new Directors had "Director! It's an honor to finally meet you Sir! Really and honor! Now if you will all come with me I'll get you some lanyards and I imagine you'll all want to settle in. Though Lanyards will only be given out on a case by case basis once you have passed all appropriate tests…That is except for you Sir…oh and you're son of course". Behind his back everyone followed with small smiles "The Director had me set up your quarters for you in advance, I stocked it with new clothing as provisions as it sounds like most of yours blew up on the Bus…and Sir can I just say how brilliant that was, blowing him out of the sky like that!"

Coulson smiled, Fury had been quite unhappy to hear the plane was a total loss, "That honor actually goes to Agent Fitz, he got creative with the wiring". Fitz blushed and moved closer to Jemma, hands as they were most of the time now clasped together.

"Sorry, but where are we?" Tripp asked looking around as they walked through what looked to be an older building, much like something his Grandfather would have seen back in the day.

Koeing gestured around himself proudly "Its codename is the Playground, one of the oldest Shield bases out there and established by Agent Carter herself". Simmons smiled and whispered something in Fitz's ear, bringing his own bright smile. "We don't have much, it needs some work, lab needs updating, training equipment has seen better days, bathrooms could stand to be retiled…any of you know how to do that…right too busy saving the world…but its home and most importantly not anywhere near Hydra's radar".

"It's perfect" Coulson said. As they entered another corridor "This is the residential unit, we can house up to 50 agents…more if they don't mind a roommate…but for now it's just your little group here…so first up we have…" he paused pointing at the doors "Agent May, then Agent Triplett, Agent Skye, Agent Coulson, and Agents Fitzsimmons…he said you would prefer to be together".

The both nodded shooting a grateful look to Coulson. "Then I'll leave you all to get settled, testing will begin at 0900. Please if any of the clothing or personal care items aren't of your taste let me know and I'll get something you prefer more". Everyone but Coulson moved, each heading for their rooms, the director hanging back with Agent Koeing.

"They have all been set up exactly as we discussed?" He asked a smile on his face.

"Of course Sir, each room has everything you requested…though that last one was quite odd…" Coulson shrugged feeling like they were taking forever to walk down the hall leaving him wondering if this is how parents felt of Christmas Morning "And the details of Agent Fitz's and I's unique situation?"

"To my knowledge Fury's handpicked team and your team are the only ones that know on the Shield side…as for Hydra Agent Ward does. Garrett's men were all interrogated and didn't realize it was actually the truth, thinking it jut baiting you. As former Shield agents themselves they had heard how you were always like a father to those under you. We made no effort to correct this perception" Koeing relayed.

Coulson nodded his smile growing as he heard an excited squeal from Skye from her room, she must have found her new laptop as Fitsimmons entered their own quarters. "And let's keep it that way" He said "I already have a list of agents I would like to bring in but there is no reason for them to know, not until they have earned that right".

Another jubilant cry echoed down the hall, this time from the end of the hall Simmons head poking out the door moments later. There was a mix of joy and exasperation on her face as she shouted, much as she did when she was scolding someone "Bloody Hell! You got him a Monkey! A real living breathing Bloody Monkey!" Fitz skidded out the door a second later barreling down the hall as fast as he could and nearly tackling Coulson to the floor with a bone crushing hug. "Figured I had a few Birthdays to make up for" he said lightly returning the embrace. Vowing to never let go ever again.

The End

AN: Well that's it! Thank you all so much for reading! I simply adore your feedback and as mentioned a sequel is already in the works. I would like to know where you would like things to go from here. Big Bad's you want to see? Storylines to have this particular twist put into? Should Ward be redeemed (realized that one there is a powder keg) but curious none the less?

Thank you again!


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